Often a contested issue for separated parties is whether their child’s surname should be changed following the breakdown of a relationship. The recent case of Teke & Cegair [2019] FamCA 114 considered the issue of changing a child’s name in circumstances where the father had been absent from...
Read moreParenting and children’s matters
Supporting Parents and Children Engaged in Family Law: A Guide for Practitioners
Involvement in family law proceedings can be a very stressful time for both parents and children. As the family structure takes on a new form, there can be significant conflict within families which in turn take a toll on a person’s mental health and wellbeing. Psychologists and counsellors theref...
Read moreRECENT CASE: Lysons & Lysons and Anor [2019] FamCAFC 29
In a recent Full Court decision, the Family Court found that the primary judge had not erred in refusing a Mother’s application to change her child’s name. The child, X, was born in 2016 to parents who commenced their relationship in 2014. Upon separation, the child’s mother indicated that she...
Read moreSafe Steps Advice in Identifying and Responding to Family Violence
Safe Steps is Victoria’s 24/7 Family Violence Response Centre, assisting women and children experiencing family violence though their phone line and specialist support services. In the 2017-2018 financial year they received 104,189 calls – unsurprising considering 1 in 4 Australian women are aff...
Read moreAFCC Conference 2018
This year, Nicholes Family Lawyers were proud sponsors of the 5th Annual AFCC Australian Conference held in Adelaide from 16-18 August 2018. The Australian Chapter of AFCC brings together Australian Family Law professionals including judicial officers, lawyers, psychologists, social workers, other m...
Read moreEVENT: Children’s rights to protection – from whom and from what?
Children’s Rights International (CRI) are excited to be hosting the third seminar hosted with Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in their Children’s rights to protection seminar series “Children’s rights to protection – from whom and from what?”. The seminar will be chaired by Professor G...
Read moreNo parentage for sperm donors: Parsons and Anor & Masson [2018] FamCAFC 115
In the recent case of Parsons and Anor & Masson [2018] FamCAFC 115, the Full Court of the Family Court held that sperm donors are not legal parents of children born via artificial technology using their sperm, regardless of the mother’s relationship status at the time of conception. The judgme...
Read moreRe Matthew – Stage 3 Treatment for Gender Dysphoria deemed therapeutic
Following the case of Re Kelvin children with gender dysphoria wishing to commence Stage 2 hormonal treatment no longer require Court authorisation to commence treatment. However, the case of Re Kelvin was largely silent on whether Court approval was still required for Stage 3 treatment for those ...
Read moreThe Potential Consequences of Parental Alienation
The case of Lankester & Cribb [2018] FamCAFC60 demonstrates the potential consequences of parental alienation. This includes but is not limited to moving the child from the primary care of one parent to the other, ordering sole parental responsibility and preventing the child from spending time ...
Read moreALRC Submissions- Share Your Experience
The Australian Law Reform Commission (“ALRC”) is currently calling for submissions from family law professionals and those with experience of the family law system. As such, Nicholes Family Lawyers is currently considering submissions regarding ways of improving the system whilst prioritising th...
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