Family Law - Case Examples    

Children matter---------------------------------------------------------

The problem
A client sought urgent assistance after his child was not returned by her mother after a contact visit. The client was not aware where the child or the mother were located and feared they had moved to another state.

The resolution
The same day we initiated urgent proceedings in the Family Court of Australia seeking an order that the child be returned to our client.

The outcome
That order was obtained from the court, and with the assistance of the Federal Police, the mother and child were located, and the child was returned to our client’s care.

Property settlement---------------------------------------------------

The problem
A client wished to finalise a property settlement with her husband. The husband owned and operated his own company and had established family trusts and superannuation trusts over the years of the marriage. He was also the beneficiary of trust funds established by his family. The extent of the husband’s income and assets was difficult to define and complicated by the various trusts, as well as the husband’s failure to make full disclosure of his assets.

The resolution
Proceedings were issued in the Family Court of Australia and after extensive investigation by Slater & Gordon’s lawyers and expert accountants the assets of the husband were identified. Those assets were more extensive than what our client was lead to believe.

The outcome
During the final hearing of the court proceedings, the court accepted our evidence as to the husband’s assets and what we believed were our client’s entitlements to a property settlement.

Intervention order-----------------------------------------------------

The problem
A client had an intervention order made against him by his former partner in the Magistrates Court.  During the course of the intervention order proceedings, the magistrate altered the Family Court orders and reduced the time that our client was entitled to spend with his daughter.

The resolution
Our lawyers appealed the Magistrate's decision.

The outcome
Not only did Slater & Gordon’s lawyers have the intervention order dismissed, but the Family Court orders were also reinstated so our client was able to enjoy spending more time with this daughter.