Family Law

Bob and Betty have both had terrible experiences in property settlement matters with their prior spouses. They are now in their 50’s and have been ‘going out’ for about 8 years. They have both sworn that they will never get involved in a de facto relationship or marriage again!

The facts

Bob and Betty do not live together. They have their own separate houses over an hour’s travel apart, and Betty still has 2 adult children from her earlier relationship still living with her.

They see each other 3 weekends a month. On 2 of those weekends Bob stays at Betty’s house for the weekend (2 nights) and on another weekend Betty similarly comes to stay with Bob. The reaming weekend they each stay at their respective homes and do not see each other. They ring each other once or twice during the week.

Bob and Betty do not have any joint accounts, nor do they share finances. They have their own assets and liabilities and do now own anything jointly. They have separate credit cards and neither of them is authorised to use the others card.

When they go out to dinner together, Bob, being the gentleman that he is, usually pays. They regularly go on overseas holidays together and pay their own way, though Bob again will pay for meals and drinks.

They have a sexual relationship but have no children together.

They are known as a couple to close friends and family, and when they are out together in public on weekends or on holidays they would be seen as a couple. However, on all other occasions during the week and on one weekend a month, they will be seen living their own separate lives, paying their own bills, buying their own groceries, doing their own washing, and cleaning, and maintaining their own homes, gardens, and lawns.

On the weekends that they are at either party’s property, they both make contributions to their food, groceries, and cleaning. Bob will ‘wipper snip’ while Betty is on the ride on mower, and so on. They both shared in the repainting the inside of Betty’s house.

Have Bob and Betty fallen into the trap. Are they in a de facto relationship, even though they do not live together?

What constitutes a de facto relationship?

Every person’s circumstances will be different to that of Bob and Betty, and each case will be decided by scrutinising all aspects of each relationship.

The Family Law Act 1975 (“the Act”) is a Commonwealth Act, so the same de facto laws apply throughout Australia. The Act deals with what factors a court must consider when deciding if a de facto relationship exists or not.

If (god forbid) Bob and Betty broke up, and Betty ‘turned nasty’ and wanted to file proceedings in the court for a property settlement alleging a de facto relationship, she would have to satisfy the Court that all the following circumstances exit:

1. That she was in a genuine de facto relationship with Bob, which has broken down irretrievably; (can Betty prove this?)
2. That the relationship meets one of the following four gateway criteria:
   1. That the period for the de facto relationship is at least 2 years (Betty could show this);
   2. That there is a child of the de facto relationship (not applicable in Betty’s case);
   3. That the relationship is or was registered under a prescribed law of a State or Territory (again not applicable in Betty’s case); or
   4. When assessing property or custodial claims in cases of a breakdown of a relationship, it is recognised that significant contributions were being made by one party and the failure to issue an order would result in a serious injustice (it would appear that neither Bob nor Betty made a significant financial or non-financial contribution that deserves an adjustment to solve any injustice).
3. That Bob and Betty have a geographical connection to a participating jurisdiction (both Bob and Betty are Australian citizens and live in Queensland, so this is satisfied);
4. That their relationship broke down after 1 March 2009 (Bob and Betty only recently separated, so this requirement is satisfied).

Having satisfied all the other gateway requirements, whether Betty is successful will depend upon her proving that they were in a genuine de facto relationship.

What makes a genuine defacto relationship?

In deciding whether Bob and Betty were in a genuine de facto relationship for the first gateway criteria, the court will have regard to the following matters.

Section 4AA of the Act defines a de facto relationship. The Act requires that Bob and Betty must have had a relationship as a couple living together on a genuine domestic basis for a defacto relationship to exist.

The Act then gives a list of factors to consider in deciding if Bob and Betty had a relationship as a couple living together on a genuine domestic basis.

Those factors are:

• the duration of the relationship (8 years – this is good for Betty);
• the nature and extent of common residence; (the parties lived separately and only spent holidays and 6 nights a month together – this is not good for Betty’s prospects);
• whether a sexual relationship exists or existed (it did – again this good for Betty);
• the degree of financial dependence or interdependence, and any arrangements for financial support, between the parties; (Bob and Betty were financially independent of each other – this is not good for Betty);
• the ownership, use and acquisition of their property (Bob and Betty did not buy any assets together, and they owned their own homes and vehicles. Again, this is not looking good for Betty);
• the degree of mutual commitment to a shared life (this appeared to be in existence, however Bob says they were just taking one day at a time and if the relationship did not last, then so be it. Bob says Betty was of the same view, but non-surprisingly in her affidavit she claims that this commitment to a shared life existed. The Judge may need to decide based on credit, who is telling the truth in a “he said she said” argument, and objectively it is difficult to figure out from the facts, which are (like every case) so unique. Given that Betty has the onus of proving the facts I will give her a fail on being able to prove this joint commitment);
• whether the relationship is or was registered under a prescribed law of a State or Territory as a prescribed kind of relationship (this relationship was not so registered, and this issue is really for same sex relationships before amendments were made to the Marriage Act to allow same sex couples to marry – this is not relevant to Bob and Betty who were very much male and female);
• the care and support of children; (there are no children together, another blow for Betty) and;
• the reputation and public aspects of the relationship (I will give this one to Betty because all their family and close friends knew them as a couple, and when in public together they acted as couple).

No one factor is more important than any other. However, the more factors from this list that Betty can prove will aid her in convincing the Court that there was a de facto relationship. Likewise, the more factors that Bob can disprove will help show that there was not a defacto relationship in existence.

Betty is looking good on 3 of the above factors (duration of relationship, a sexual relationship and public perceptions), however Bob is looking much better on 5 of the factors (no common residence, financially independent of each other, property ownership use and acquisition, no mutual commitment to a shared life, and no children together).

There is not a certain number of factors from the list that must exist (or not exist) for a defacto relationship to be proven (or disproved for the absence of a defacto relationship).

There is also no minimum number of nights that the parties must spend together in a common residence, nor is there a need for the parties to have actually lived together at all before a defacto relationship will be found to have existed.

The Family Law Act also recognises that a person who is married, may also possibly be in a defacto relationship with another person at the time. A person can also be in several de facto relationships at the same time if the test is satisfied for each of those relationships.

Does Betty succeed?

If I were acting for either Betty or Bob, I would be able to argue very strongly in either of their cases of the existence or non-existence of a defacto relationship. Who will win will depend on how the evidence falls at the hearing, matters of credit and what factors the Judge considers to be most important in deciding the matter one way of the other. Judges have very wide discretion in deciding these matters, one Judge might say there was a defacto relationship, while another Judge (or the Court of Appeal) may decide that there was not.

If I were a betting man, my money in this case would be on Bob, but I would not put too much money on the bet. This is close to a 50/50 chance. It could go either way.

If I were advising Betty or her prospects of success, I would be telling her that she has a compelling case, but I would be testing her to see if she accepts whether it is worth the risk. If Bob opposes the existence of a defacto relationship (which he will) Betty will have to pay significant legal costs that will be involved if the matter goes ahead all the way to a final hearing. She will need to weigh that up with the amount that she is looking for, and her prospects of success. The normal rule in family law cases is that each party pay their own legal fees.

If I were acting for Bob, again I would be telling him that he also has a compelling case. I would recommend that he strongly oppose Betty’s application on the basis that there was no defacto relationship and gather as much evidence as he can to support this conclusion.

Generally, matters like this will settle at mediation, with both parties accepting that going to Court will be expensive, taxing on their time and their emotions, and involves a serious risk that they each might fail.

Time limit to start proceedings for financial orders

If (despite her legal advice on costs and chances of success) Betty still wishes to try to obtain financial orders, and settlement of the matter at a mediation fails (neither Bob nor Betty will shift from their positions), then Betty must apply to the court within two (2) years of the breakdown of the defacto relationship. After that time, she would need the leave (permission) of the Court to apply, and the Court does not readily give that leave.

For all legal advice on property or parenting issues, please contact our Gold Coast Lawyers firm and make a free first appointment with Gary Mallett.

Sometimes you simply must tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. A lie by omission – something you do not mention when you should – is still a lie. Australian law dictates that people seeking resolution of certain issues related to separation or divorce must make certain information available to each other, and to the court. This is called the duty of disclosure.

When it applies

As stipulated in Family Law Rules 2004 (“the Rules”), the duty of disclosure applies to you when you are seeking resolution of financial matters in a separation or divorce. This means you must make certain information available to your former spouse or partner in property settlement, spousal maintenance, and similar cases.

You and your former spouse or partner must also exchange certain information when seeking resolution of parenting matters. This may include but is not limited to: living arrangements, visitation, and child support.

The timing and extent of disclosures

Legally, you must make “full and frank disclosure” of all information that has direct bearing on any point of contention in your case. In other words, you must give any pertinent material that you actually have, or that you have access to or authority over. And you must do so before the case goes to court.

It is best to be aware that both parties have this duty, and that it is ongoing. This means you must report any relevant changes – such as a job change or loss of employment – to the other person, and they must make similar information available to you. Your respective obligations to exchange pertinent information will not end until you reach an agreement, or the court issues a final order.

Finally, it is important to note that there are no legal stipulations about the way in which this material should be given, so it does not matter if you share electronic or paper records. The information you must give will also vary based on case type and your situation.

Your duty of disclosure in financial cases

In these cases, both of you must give comprehensive information about your respective financial circumstances. This usually means you must supply any or all the following:

• Documents reflecting your regular earnings;
• bank statements reflecting deposits and withdrawals from checking accounts, savings accounts and so on;
• tax documents;
• superannuation statements;
• material documenting the valuation and appraisals of assets;
• material about financial resources other than income, along with supporting documentation;
• information about interests in any company and/or trust, along with supporting documentation;
• information about any assets disposed of prior to and since separation.

Please bear in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, and you may need to give different and/or more material given that each case is unique.

Your duty of disclosure in parenting cases

In disputes over parenting matters, both of you must give information the court needs to make decisions about the care and living arrangements for a child. Specifically, you must supply any material relevant to the child’s welfare. As in financial cases, however, the type of information will depend on your unique circumstances.

The following is generally subject to disclosure in parenting cases:

• The child’s (or children’s) school reports;
• relevant assessments about the child/children and/or parents issued by doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and so on;
• information about the amount of time the parent spends at work;
• information about the supervision of the child/children when they are not with you;
• information about any issues that affect each parent’s ability to care for the child, such as substance abuse, mental illness, or chronic medical conditions;
• official documents about any family violence, including intervention orders, police reports or relevant statutory body reports.

Penalties for noncompliance and dishonesty

Rule 13.01 of Family Law Rules allows the court to disregard any material that has not been fully and properly disclosed in finance cases. If you do not fulfill your duty of disclosure, the Court may also be reprimand you for contempt of court.

At its discretion, the court may also issue a costs order against you for failure to meet this obligation fully and truthfully. If it does, you will have to pay not only your own legal costs but also those incurred by your former spouse or partner. In the most drastic cases, you may be fined or incarcerated.

If either one of you finds out that the other failed to fulfill the duty of disclosure prior to the issuance of family law final orders, the aggrieved person can ask the court to change the order or set it aside. The court may also vacate or amend a final family law order if either of you have not fulfilled your duty of disclosure before it is issued.

As we have noted, each case is different. If you are going through separation and divorce, and you have questions about the type of information you have to disclose, contact our Gold Coast Lawyers today.

Clarifying Binding Death Nominations in Superannuation

Re Narumon Pty Ltd [2018] QSC 185

A recent decision in the Queensland Supreme Court, Narumon, emphasizes the importance of a valid Binding Death Benefit Nomination (BDBN) within superannuation funds and clarified whether an attorney has the ability to renew BDBN’s.

Summary: In Narumon, the deceased (Mr. Giles) was the sole member of the John Giles Superannuation Fund. Mr. Giles appointed his wife (Mrs. Giles) and his sister (Mrs. Keenan) as his attorneys under an enduring power of attorney (EPOA) for financial and personal/health matters. His attorneys were to begin making financial decisions on his behalf when Mr. Giles had been determined incapable of making his own decisions. In November of 2013, that very situation occurred and Mr. Giles was declared completely incapable of making his own financial, health, and lifestyle decisions. From then on, his wife and sister were authorised to act as attorneys on his behalf.

Mr. Giles made several BDBNs before he lost capacity. The most recently created BDBN was on the 5^th of June 2013, which directed his attorneys to distribute his superannuation death benefits, a portion of which were obviously left to his wife and sister, who just so happened to also be acting as his attorneys. Additionally, 5% of Mr. Giles’ death benefits were to be paid to a non-dependent and non-legal representative. The 2013 BDBN stated that three years after the date it was signed, it would cease to have effect and must be signed within three years of the member’s death.

Issue: 5% benefit to non-dependant and non-legal representative

In order to ensure that the 2013 BDBN and its extension were valid, Mrs. Giles and Mrs. Keenan decided to change the 5% nomination to a non-dependant and distribute it between the dependant’s already nominated. The court, however, confirmed that the original 2013 BDBN was valid, despite the 5% nomination to a non-dependant. The reallocation was found to be a conflict of interest and, since there was no explicit language in the BDBN allowing such a conflict, the new BDBN would not be valid.

Issue: May an attorney make a BDBN?

The court held that, yes, an attorney has the power to make a BDBN on a member’s behalf. His Honour looked closely at the language of the deed. The deed did not prohibit such an act. In fact, another section expressly stated that an attorney would enjoy all of the rights that a member would have. Since there was no restriction under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act of 1993 preventing an attorney from making a nomination, there was nothing to prevent Mr. Giles’ attorneys from making a nomination on his behalf.

Issue: Validity of the 2013 Binding Death Benefit Notice

The issue in question was whether or not Mrs. Giles and Mrs. Keenan would be allowed to renew the 2013 BDBN or make a new one, despite also being recipients. The Court considered whether or not there was a conflict created by the dual interests of Mr. Giles’ attorneys. In the end, the judge ruled that there was no conflict created.

The judge reasoned that because they were merely confirming existing estate planning intentions, there was no conflict. However, it is unclear whether making one from scratch would also be allowed or if that would be considered a conflict. Therefore, it is clear that the individual circumstances for each case will need to be considered in determining whether or not a BDBN renewal is likely to be valid.

“This is the first time it’s been considered as far as I’m aware of, that an attorney subject to the trustees of the super fund is able to renew a binding death benefit nomination for the person for whom they are the attorney,” said Scott Hay-Bartlem of Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers after the judgement.

To learn more about Divorce & Separation, contact our Gold Coast family lawyers at OMB Solicitors today.

For Australians going through divorce and separation, there are plenty of advantages of living in the ‘Information Age’. Now it is easier than ever before to access the court forms and other material you may need.

This makes it possible to do more on your own, so you may save money on legal costs. There are also plenty of disadvantages, however, the most significant of which is the amount of misinformation readily available in the digital world. If you’re getting divorced or separated, following the wrong legal advice – be it from the Internet or even friends, family and workmates – can be costly, especially when you’re trying to figure out who gets what in a settlement. Here’s what you should know.

The first and most important thing to understand is that every case is different. Essentially this means that regardless of what you may have heard, read online or seen on television and films, everything is not always ‘split down the middle’. It also means there is no real basis for the belief that women always benefit from the property settlement, or that you must go to Court in order to get one.  It is true that courts must approve related orders, but they actually intervene in only a small percentage of cases.

Having said that, there is a proven method that is used to ensure that couples going through separation and divorce arrive at fair settlements. It consists of four steps, which we will discuss in detail.

To begin with, you should prepare a comprehensive list of assets and liabilities that will be shared with the other person. By law, each of you must fully disclose all of your assets and liabilities. This means you should be sure to include everything, irrespective of whether the asset or liability is in one person’s name, both of your names, or held by one of you and a third party. Although it is technically considered a different type of property, don’t forget to include your individual or joint superannuation interests on a separate list at this point.

The second step is a little bit trickier because it involves the identification and valuation or assessment of each person’s contributions to the marriage. Contrary to popular belief, this evaluation is not strictly limited to each of your financial contributions. Non-financial contributions, such as home improvements or those you made as a stay-at-home mum are assessed as well. Furthermore, ‘indirect’ contributions to the household – or those made by your relatives – are also considered. Each contribution is then assigned a percentage on a scale specifically created for this purpose.

At the next stage, another set of factors is assessed. These include but are not limited to each person’s health, each person’s ability to make a living, how many kids you have, how old they are, who will have primary custody and the extent to which your ex-spouse will be involved in their lives. Another key factor that will be considered at this stage is whether or not any of your children require special care. If warranted at this point, the determination made in the previous step may be changed.

Finally, in the fourth step, the court takes one more objective look at the division of property to see if the outcome reached through this process is fair and reasonable to everyone involved. This final determination is based on all circumstances of the case. Although the court can make additional changes at this time, it will seldom do so.

The bottom line is that the decision to end a relationship is seldom easy. The prospect of separation and divorce can be intimidating and overwhelming, even when a wealth of information is so readily available. The best way to safeguard your interests and secure a fair outcome for everyone involved is to work with experienced Gold Coast family lawyers. If you are considering separation and have questions or concerns about the process for reaching a settlement, contact our Gold Coast Lawyers today.

Even in a best-case scenario – one in which you and your partner have decided to end the marriage on amicable terms – questions may arise about your legal rights and obligations. For example, you may both have questions and concerns about spousal maintenance. Specifically, you may be wondering if either of you is eligible and if so, how to apply, the deadlines for doing so, whether there are different types of spousal maintenance and so forth. Here are some of the things you need to know.

To begin with, spousal maintenance (known as alimony in America), is simply a legal term for the financial support one former spouse provides for the other following separation or divorce.

Ideally, you and your former spouse are still on good terms and you can agree on all of the issues related to spousal maintenance (such as the amount and a schedule for payment). When this is the case, you can simply put the terms into a legally binding Financial Agreement or Consent Orders that must be filed with and approved by the court.

If, on the other hand, you can’t agree on anything, much less the terms for spousal maintenance, you can apply for Spousal Maintenance through the Federal Circuit Court or Family Court.

Application is irrespective of whether you were in a traditional marriage or a de facto relationship (including a same-sex de facto relationship) but there are different standards of proof you must meet for eligibility.

To be eligible for spousal maintenance if you were in a de facto relationship, you must demonstrate that:

• you were in the relationship for at least two years, or
• you and your former de facto partner have a child together, or
• one of you made substantial monetary contributions to the other’s property, or
• one of you officially registered the relationship (at Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or an interstate/overseas equivalent).

On the other hand, to qualify for spousal maintenance if you were in a traditional marriage, you must prove that:

• you cannot support yourself financially;
• your former spouse has adequate means to do so.

More often than not, the court will award spousal maintenance if you can show that your former spouse earns significantly more than you do and/or that you lack the potential to earn sufficient income based on factors including but not limited to your education and past work experience. For instance, the court may approve your application if you are a ‘stay at home’ parent and cannot secure outside employment. Your application for spousal maintenance may also be approved if you have had a prolonged absence from the workforce and now lack the skills or are too old to secure employment, or if an illness precludes you from working.

Be aware, however, that spousal maintenance is not automatic just because you don’t make any money of your own, or you don’t make very much. In other words, if you are capable of working and simply choose not to do so, the court is likely to deny your application.

You should also be aware that there are different deadlines for applying for spousal maintenance. With certain exceptions, if you were in a traditional marriage, you must apply for spousal maintenance within a year (12 months) after the divorce order is granted. Conversely, if you were in a de facto relationship, you must make this application within two years (24 months) after the relationship officially ends.

Another thing to keep in mind is, for the most part, spousal maintenance is not a long-term benefit. Usually, it is only in effect until you (the applicant) gain or regain your financial footing by getting a job or receiving the training necessary to find work.

Furthermore, if you were in a conventional marriage, your right to receive spousal maintenance from your ex-husband or wife usually ends when you marry someone else. However, your right to financial support received after the break up of your de facto relationship won’t necessarily end when you start a new one. This is because the court will consider the financial dynamics between yourself and your new de facto partner when determining whether you can support yourself.

The way in which spousal maintenance payments are made will also depend on your unique circumstances.  In some cases, you may prefer one large (‘lump sum’) payment, and in others, you may prefer regular payments once a month, twice a month, weekly or even annually. If need be you can also apply for spousal maintenance on a limited basis. This may be your best option if you know you only need enough financial support to tide you over until your property settlement is finalised.

It should also be noted that spousal maintenance is not limited to monetary payments. Transferring ownership of a motor vehicle, investment property or other assets is also considered as legal payment of spousal maintenance.

Finally, we must also point out that, contrary to popular belief, child support and spousal maintenance are two separate benefits. While spousal maintenance provides financial support for you, child support payments should be used only to meet the children’s needs. This means courts can – and do – issue orders for the payment of both.

Divorce and separation are emotionally trying for anyone. Addressing complex legal matters on your own during times of stress can complicate things even more. For more information about the legal aspects of divorce, separation and related issues, including but not limited to spousal maintenance, contact the Family Lawyers Gold Coast at OMB Solicitors today.

Who gets what will depend on the facts

Australian statistics show that one third of relationships end in separation or divorce. The growing breakdown of relationships caused by divorce or separation has allowed for the distortion and generalisation of what is perceived to be ‘Who Owns What’ in a property settlement. The reason for the misinformation is due to there being no specific rules that indicate which party will retain what in the event of a breakdown in relationship.  Each case is fact specific and will be determinable on those facts, each case differing from the one before and after it.

Property Settlement – the Law

Property settlement after separation is governed by the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) (‘the Act”) and is applicable to married couples’ and De Facto (same sex and heterosexual) relationships. A property settlement may be applied for any time after the breakdown in relationship occurs and need not wait until divorced.

Get started quickly

Because a property settlement order will deal with assets and liabilities that exist at the time the order is made, it is strongly recommended that negotiations for a property settlement begin as soon as is practicable after separation. If you delay, and in some cases, parties have delayed for ten or more years, then the Court will deal with what property exits then, and not when you separated. One of the parties may have accumulated substantial additional assets since separation, and the other party may have run up substantial debts. The property settlement then (in 10 years) would look completely different to a property settlement reached within a reasonable time of separation.

Time Limits

Where a couple gets divorced they must commence property settlement proceedings (i.e. Bring a Court Application) within twelve months of the divorce. Whereas for a married and De Facto couple the application must be bought forth within two years of the breakdown in relationship. Where proceedings are not bought within these limits, a loss of rights may occur due to being outside the time frame.  The law takes into consideration the below factors and does not considered the way in which the relationship deteriorated.

This the way a Court will tell you “Who Gets What”

Judges have a wide discretion to make orders for property settlement. In some circumstances, a court will not make any order at all dividing the property, if it appears to the judge that it is just and equitable that each party should keep the property they have without making any adjustment.

However, if the judge decides that an order is necessary to adjust property interests, then orders to divide the property on a just and equitable basis will be different in almost every case, as the circumstances of each particular case that comes before the court are all unique and different.

In applying the legislation over the years, the courts have defined a framework within which it must work to achieve what is a fair and equitable division. This framework involves an approach with four or five steps.

The Steps involved in working out “who Gets What”

The steps to working out a property settlement now may be summarized as:

• What are the legal and equitable interests of the parties in their property;
• Should these interests be altered;
• What are the contributions of each party and what weight should be given to the contributions;
• What is the future of each party and should there be any adjustment for that;
• How is the proposed division to be implemented?

Step 1-  What are the legal and equitable interests of the parties in their property

The Court determines what the legal and equitable interests of the parties are in their property.

This will be all assets, liabilities and financial resources in joint names, and in each party’s separate names. Until an order is made, for family law purposes both parties have an interest in each asset in the property regardless of who owns it. The Court will take into account all of the property and financial resources in existence at the time that the order is made. Both parties have an obligation to make full and frank disclosure of all assets and liabilities that exist to each other and to the Court.

The Court then attributes values to each of the parties’ interests. Generally, the court will value the items as at the date that an order is made.

Step 2- Should the parties interests be altered

Once all the property is identified and valued, the Judge will take a step back and look at the length of the relationship, who brought what into the relationship, who owns what now, is there jointly owned property and/or bank accounts or did the parties keep their property separate, and was that their intention or agreement.

If the Judge is of the view that no adjustment in property interests is warranted, then no property settlement order will be made, and each party will keep what they currently own.

However, if relationship circumstances are such that an order is necessary to adjust property interests (and in most cases it will be), the Court proceeds to the next step.

Step 3 – What are the contributions of each party and what weight should be given to the contributions;

The Court determines the contributions that the parties have made to the acquisition, conservation and improvement of the property.  The contributions can be direct and indirect, financial and non-financial as well as relating to a homemaker/parent role and otherwise to the welfare of the family unit.  The Court will take into account the contributions made:

• at the commencement of the relationship,
• during the relationship, and
• since separation.

Some of the general principles that apply to the assessment of contributions are:

• There is no presumption that contributions are equal or that they were made in “partnership”;
• An evaluation must be made of the actual respective contributions of each party;
• Although in many cases the direct financial contributions of one party will equal the indirect contribution of the other as homemaker and parent, that is not necessarily so in every case;
• Care must be taken to recognise and distinguish a windfall gain;
• Whilst decisions in previous cases where special factors were found to exist may provide some guidance to Judges, they are not prescriptive, except to the extent that they purport to lay down general principles;
• It is ultimately the exercise of the Judge’s own discretion on the particular facts of the case that will regulate the outcome; and
• In the exercise of their discretion, the Trial Judge must be satisfied that the actual orders are just and equitable.

In a short relationship (up to seven years) the Court is more likely to adopt an asset by asset or “piecemeal” approach to the assessment. Relationships beyond that time will be regarded as a mid to long term relationship.

In mid to longer range relationships the Court is more likely to adopt a global assessment of contributions.  When taking into account the contributions of the parties the Court will have regard to any period of separation prior to commencement of the relationship.

The assessment of contributions will not be equal in circumstance where:

• One party has made a greater initial contribution than the other; or
• One party has received a significant inheritance (particularly late in the relationship);
• One party has received a significant gift (particularly late in the relationship);

Step 4 – Future Needs

The Court then assesses the future needs of each party, having regard to the various factors set out in the Act. These factors involve looking at and assessing the difference between each of the party’s:

• current income;
• income earning capacity,
• property and resources,
• superannuation entitlements,
• deficits in health,
• ages,
• closeness to retirement; and
• the need for one party to care for children of the relationship.

Step 5 – How is the proposed division to be implemented

The Court will then give consideration on how the proposed division of property is to be implemented. For example, an order may be structured where the wife gets to the retain the former matrimonial home as the primary care provider for the children, and the husband keeps his superannuation and business assets.

Conclusion

In Property Settlement Court proceedings, the Judge will decide “who gets what”. That judge has very wide discretion and may make a completely different order to the Judge in the next courtroom. You may like the order that is made, or you may detest it.

Suggestions

Before or during your relationship, enter into a binding financial agreement under the Act so that you (and not a Judge) can determine “Who Gets What” should you separate.

If you do separate without a Financial Agreement in place, it is important that you consult a family law solicitor to ascertain what your entitlements are likely to be, and then attempt to reach agreement as to “who gets what”, either personally, through your solicitors or at a mediation. If an agreement can be reached, your agreement can be finalised by consent orders of the Family Court or a Financial Agreement.

Contact our Gold Coast Family Lawyers

If you require assistance or advice with respect to:

1. Your likely entitlements upon separation;
2. Negotiation of a property settlement
3. Preparation of a Financial Agreement,
4. Organising a mediation,
5. Commencing court proceedings or the preparation of consent orders.

There’s no doubt about it. Ending a relationship is never easy. But in Australia, ending a marriage is relatively simple – at least in the eyes of the law. This is because, unlike the divorce process in the United States, divorce in Australia doesn’t address some of the most emotionally volatile issues such as child custody, child support, spousal maintenance and the division of marital assets in detail. In fact, the only issues addressed when you apply for divorce here are whether you are legally eligible to do so and whether or not you’ve followed all of the applicable rules.

To be eligible to file for divorce in Australia, the only requirement in most cases is that you and your spouse have separated for one year. The only exception to this rule is if you are filing for divorce less than two years after you got married (inclusive of the time when you were separated). In such cases, you must see a court-approved counsellor with your spouse and file a signed counselling certificate with the court upon completion. If you and your spouse are unable to fulfil this requirement for any reason, you must ask the court’s permission to get divorced.

If you were married abroad, you may still apply for divorce here if you or your spouse:

• Regard Australia as your home and intend to live indefinitely in Australia and are an Australian citizen or resident, or
• Are an Australia citizen by birth or descent
• Are an Australia citizen by grant of Australian citizenship
• Ordinarily live in Australia and have done so for 12 months immediately prior to filing for divorce

If you meet one of these criteria, you can go ahead and prepare your application for divorce. If you aren’t comfortable filling it out yourself, you can also do so with help from a lawyer. If you choose to consult a lawyer, be sure to bring the following to your appointment:

• Marriage certificate
• Identification
• Information about any children under the age of 18
• Any current or pervious orders associated with family law

Once you’ve completed the application you and/or your spouse must sign it so it can be filed with the appropriate court (along with any other applicable documents), and a hearing can be scheduled.  If only one of you does so, it is considered an individual application, and if you both do so, it is considered a joint application.  This is an important distinction, because it determines who must do what from now on.

For example, if you filed an individual application, you must serve a copy of the copy on your spouse. You must also file two documents related to the service with the court. The first of these is called an Affidavit of Service, and the second is the Acknowledgement of Service (when required).

Furthermore, if you file an individual application and you and your spouse have children age 17 or younger, you must attend the hearing. However, you need not do so in person, as long as you seek permission to participate by telephone.  If need be, you can also attend at the relevant court registry. In this case, you must still serve the application on your spouse and file the paperwork specified in the previous paragraph.

Finally, even if you file an individual application, your spouse has the right to file a response seeking changes to the application if he or she disputes any of the details, or if he or she simply opposes the application. Another thing to keep in mind is that even if your spouse pursues this option, he or she is not required to attend the hearing.

At the hearing, you will be asked about the application, and if you have minor children, the judge will also ask questions to ensure that they will have a chance to spend time with you and your spouse. If all of these questions are answered to his or her satisfaction an order will be granted accordingly.

On the other hand, if you file a joint application, the ensuing process is much easier. This is because neither one of you will be required to attend the hearing, whether you have any minor children or not. This also eliminates the need to serve the application on your spouse or file related documents with the court.

In either case, the divorce order will take effect, or become “final,” one month and one day after the hearing. At this point, the court will send a copy to each of you, and you’ll no longer be legally married.

Conversely, failing to take any of these steps can result in denial of your application. If this happens, the court will usually give you time to correct any deficiencies prior to another hearing. If you need help correcting a mistake that resulted in the denial of your initial application or to lessen the chances that your divorce application will be rejected due to a technicality, contact our Gold Coast Family Lawyers at OMB Solicitors today.

When alternative dispute resolution processes do not resolve the property or parenting issues in dispute with your ex-partner (taking into account that these processes require the co-operation of your ex-partner) you will need the assistance of the Family Court or Federal Circuit Court process to resolve your matter.

Are there time limits?

Unless you bring proceedings in the Family Court of Federal Circuit Court for a property settlement or spouse maintenance within 1 year from the date of your divorce being finalised, you lose the right to bring such proceedings without leave of the Court (which is not readily given).

What Happens During the Court Process

The process in both the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia follow the basic procedures below, with some minor variations, namely:

1. An Initiating Application and an Affidavit by you in Support of the Application and a Financial Statement if a property matter, or a Notice of Risk if a parenting matter, is filed in the Court and served on the other party. A Court filing fee is payable;
2. The other party must file and serve a Response, Affidavit and Financial Statement (or Notice of Risk) within fourteen (14) days of the first Court return date;
3. The matter comes before the Court for the first time for a case assessment conference (Family Court) or for a “first return date” (Federal Circuit Court) and interim hearing if necessary (both Courts);
4. The Court will make any orders by consent on the first return date, and will normally order that the parties attend a conciliation conference or a private mediation (for property matters) or that a Family Report be prepared and/or an Independent Children’s Lawyer (“ICL”) be appointed for the children (parenting matters);
5. If the matter does not resolve at the conciliation conference or private mediation (property matters) or in line with the recommendations of the Family Report Writer and/or ICL (children’s matters), the matter is returned to Court for trial directions;
6. The matter is prepared for a hearing, and a barrister is appointed to prepare for attend the hearing.
7. The matter is heard by a Judge for a final decision.
8. The Judge will hand down his or her decision, and this decision can only be appealed on certain grounds within twenty eight (28) days.

If there are any urgent matters which need to be determined by the Court prior to a final hearing, either party can bring an interim or urgent application in which case the matter will be dealt with depending on the urgency of the matter.

On the return date of an interim or urgent application, the Court will make a determination of the matter on an urgent basis and the matter is determined on the affidavit material filed and the submissions of both parties.  Normally oral evidence is not given at such a hearing. Affidavits must not be more than ten (10) pages in length, and the number of exhibits which can be attached is limited.

Important Considerations

During the Court proceedings, it is important to remember that:

• Your personal appearance is required on all Court dates, including mentions and callovers, unless excused by the Judge beforehand;
• You will need our assistance to prepared affidavit material (which may need to be settled by counsel) and this can be time consuming and costly;
• Barristers will be required to be engaged for all defended interim hearings and for the final hearing of the matter. Whilst solicitors will generally appear on mentions, callovers, and where consent orders are being made, solicitors are not generally experts in Court advocacy and will engage counsel to provide the best possible representation of you and presentation of your case at defended and final hearings, particularly where cross-examination is required.
• Every Court appearance carries with it an opportunity to resolve the matter or particular issues in dispute by consent with the other party, and therefore the most should be made of these opportunities.
• Judges in the family court arena have a very wide discretion when it comes to making property adjustment orders, and this wide discretion gives limited rights to appeal a seemingly unfavourable decision towards a party.

To learn more about how we can help you in family law matters, contact our Gold Coast family lawyers today.

Women who have gone through a separation or divorce will be the first to tell you that the process is daunting, expensive, lengthy and exhausting. You work hard, build your wealth, meet “Mr Right” and fall head over heels into a relationship, only to realise some years later that “Mr Right” was not all you expected. Suddenly, the joyride comes to an abrupt stop as your relationship is reduced to paperwork and numbers.

It is a harsh reality when you are told by your solicitor that when it comes to your property matters, it does not matter that he cheated on you, and that it does not necessarily matter that he did not bring the same amount of wealth into the relationship or contribute as much as you did financially… the reality is, he potentially has a claim to your assets, even those you owned prior to your relationship. You can fight it in Court and potentially win, but in most cases; it will cost you more than it’s worth, both financially and emotionally.

So what do you do? At the risk of saying the words that are still considered by many as taboo, you protect your assets, and you get him to sign a Binding Financial Agreement, or what is more commonly referred to as a Pre-nuptial Agreement.

Sure, it’s easier said than done, after all, how do you ask the man you love to sign a document that in short says, “in case we don’t work out, I keep my things, and you can’t touch them”. It implies you do not trust the relationship will work and that you do not trust him… at least that is how a lot of people see it. What you are really saying is, “I have worked hard to build my wealth. If things were to get ugly between us, promise me you won’t try to take away what I have worked so hard on my own to build.”

A Binding Financial Agreement will protect the assets you have accumulated prior to moving in with or marrying your partner. At the same time, it will allow you to decide together, in advance, and whilst you both have each other’s best interests in mind, what you think is fair and what you will do with your property in the event you separate.

You can do this and be proactive, or alternatively, take a reactive approach and try and sort through the mess when both of you are broken hearted and potentially upset at one another. Spend a little now to secure your interests, or spend a lot later in a bitter fight to the end, where potentially, no one wins.

Binding Financial Agreements can be entered into prior to or once a couple are living together; and at any time prior to or during a marriage. If you have separated, and you are concerned about your rights, we can also assist you. Contact our Gold Coast Family Law Solicitor on 07 5555 0000.

This article was featured in Label Magazine, by Simon Bennett

The urban myth lives on despite the reality of separation, divorce and bitter wrangles.

An ever increasing number of marriages fail to fulfil the happily ever after expectations most people dream of. Gold Coast lawyer Simon Bennett says it is wise to set romance aside and enter into marriage with a degree of protection.

“Few people would enter a business partnership without an agreement that protects against the unforeseen; the same rules should apply to marriage. It’s not very romantic but it does go someway to avoiding the hassles that can result from a relationship breakdown,” Simon says.

“Approaching a relationship breakdown is difficult when emotions are running high and most people are focused on anger, resentment and revenge. Both parties should take a commonsense approach and settle for a fair, equitable and just resolution. It is easier to do this when there is a cohabitation agreement in place,” he says. When a marriage or relationship breaks down there are a number of areas that must be resolved. These usually include property settlement, financial maintenance and custody of children.

Simon says that during a divorce, property settlement involves the division of matrimonial property, including all assets and liabilities including superannuation. “Division of property or deciding how much time is to be spent with children shouldn’t be about greed or point scoring. Family Law can far too often become the enemy rather than the means of resolving disputes, rectifying relationships and allowing parties to move forward,” he says. “The custody of children can be very complicated. Specific issues may include parental responsibilities such as day to day decision making, the time each parent spends with the child or children and child maintenance. Financial maintenance is generally controlled by the Child Support Agency,” he says.

“Advice should be sought from an experienced divorce solicitor. This ensures both parties are fully aware of their positions. The initial discussion should outline a plan for reasonably resolution. The next step generally involves another meeting with the parties involved and their representatives.

“When issues are resolved, agreements can be entered into. Where children are involved Family Court Consent Orders can be obtained. If agreements can’t be reached further legal advice is recommended,” he says.

This article was featured in Label Magazine, by Simon Bennett