The end of a marriage can be traumatic, even when both parties have concluded that divorce is the best choice. Should you find yourself in this situation, you can trust the advice and guidance of divorce lawyers, like those at Owen Hodge.
What is divorce?
Divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage. People often confuse a divorce with the process of negotiating how the parties’ assets and liabilities will be divided, which can be complex. However, divorce itself is a straightforward process.
“No fault” divorce system
In Australia, the Family Law Act 1975 established the principle of “no-fault” divorce. No-fault divorce is the dissolution of a marriage that does not require a showing of wrongdoing by either party. Therefore if, for example, one party is at fault for the breakdown of a marriage on account of their infidelity, this will not have any bearing as to whether the Court will grant an Order for divorce.
Same-sex divorces in Australia
As far as the marriage separation process, same-sex divorces are the same as opposite-sex divorces. However, differences can arise when it comes to child custody. Since both same-sex partners can’t be biologically related to their children, child custody issues in a divorce can be more complicated than traditional divorces. Sadly, some LGBTQ parents stand to lose out on time and continued relationships with their children.
Learn more about the Marriage separation process
Before you can make an application for divorce, you must meet some requirements. These include:
1. Evidence of a valid marriage
A valid marriage is usually evidenced by attaching a copy of your marriage certificate to the application for divorce. If you were married in Australia and have lost or misplaced your marriage certificate, you can easily obtain a copy by contacting your local Births, Deaths, and Marriages registry.
If the parties were married overseas, and for one reason or another, no longer have a copy of their marriage certificate, they will need to file a short statement. This will be sworn by them, describing the details of their marriage and why they cannot obtain a copy of the marriage certificate.
2. Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage evidenced by 12 months of separation.
To prove that a marriage has irretrievably broken down, the Court must be convinced that the parties have been separated for a period of at least 12 months.
It is possible to obtain a divorce even if you and your spouse have been living in the same house while separated. However, a written statement from the party who is making the application and an additional witness, (which needs to cover specific issues surrounding the parties’ separation under one roof), must be filed with the application.
If you find yourself in this situation, we urge you to seek legal advice from one of our divorce lawyers who can give you advice specific to your circumstances.
3. Either you or your spouse is:
- An Australian citizen (either by birth or with an Australian citizenship)
- In Australia legally and have lived here for the last 12 months
4. Undertaken marriage counselling if married for less than 2 years
If you are seeking a divorce and you have been married for less than two years, both parties must participate in marriage counselling (unless there has been violence, abuse or you are unable to locate your spouse).
If you are not able to attend counselling with your spouse, it may still be possible for you to obtain a divorce and we would encourage you to seek advice from our divorce solicitors.
How to apply for divorce
Once you have met the above requirements, and have all the relevant documentation, you can apply for a divorce through the Commonwealth Courts Portal. You can also either file a joint application or a sole application.
It’s important to note that you will have to pay a fee when you file your application for divorce.
Alternatively, Owen Hodge’s divorce lawyers can prepare all the required Federal Circuit and Family Court divorce documentation for you and attend your divorce hearing. This will help ensure that the emotional and financial impact of this difficult time on you is minimised. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our experienced lawyers on 1800 770 780 if you need help applying for a divorce.
Divorce & property settlements
It is important to note that from the date the divorce order is made, the parties have 12 months to make an application to the court for a property settlement (if the division of the assets has not already been finalised).
If you require assistance with this, please don’t hesitate to contact our experienced property settlement lawyers.
Relevant information:
Family Law Team
Frequently asked questions
The person filing for the divorce will pay for the divorce application fee. If there is a joint application, the ex-spouses can split the fee.
A divorce lawyer can help you with:
- Your application for divorce
- The property settlement (including dividing the assets and property)
- Organising parenting agreements
- Drafting spousal maintenance agreements
- Attending divorce hearings
The average cost of a divorce lawyer differs from case to case. It can also depend on whether the divorce lawyer is helping you organise your property settlement, parenting arrangements and so on, or how complicated the divorce is. Contact us at Owen Hodge Lawyers for details of how we charge.