Family Law Lawyers Brisbane

A parenting dispute can be difficult for some separated parents to navigate. Throw Christmas and the heightened emotions that often accompany the holidays into the mix, and these disputes can seem almost impossible to resolve for some families. We always recommend finalising and documenting your parenting arrangements for the Christmas holiday period as early as possible.  The newly amalgamated Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has also introduced a “due date” for filing applications to the Court relating to the Christmas period, which you can read more about here . However, if you find yourself faced with a dispute over Christmas and your lawyer’s office is closed, you might find the below tips helpful. Remember that the best interests of your children are paramount. Christmas should be a wonderful time of year for the children, and disputes between their parents should not get in the way of that. When discussing parenting arrangements with the other parent, k...

With the festive season and summer school holidays fast approaching, it might be time to take stock of some of the important things in your life, particularly if you are going through a separation or have a parenting agreement or order in place. Whilst it can be easy to be swept up in the festive cheer and holiday season, play dates, parties, and family gatherings (and trying to have some fun amongst all of it), it is necessary to make sure that you enjoy the break, especially if the children are spending time with you.  So, to help you, here are some things that you might want to consider before launching into the festive season. If you already have a parenting plan or orders: Double check these documents and make sure that you fully understand what is happening these holidays with the children, such as when and where changeovers are going to be, who the children are going to be spending time with on Christmas and also maybe New Year’s.  It is important to enjoy every mi...

Co-written by Audrey Akenson Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year… but it can also be a difficult and uncertain time for separated families, especially where there is disagreement with respect to the parenting arrangements for the children over the Christmas holidays. If you are in a situation where you are unable to reach an agreement with the other parent or are in a dispute about the parenting arrangements over Christmas, you should aim to resolve this dispute before the Christmas holidays begin. This can typically be done in one of two ways: Communication If you and the other parent are amicable and are able to communicate in a non-confrontational and productive manner, it may be most effective to negotiate a verbal agreement about how the child/ren will spend the holidays. It is important to be open-minded and receptive to the other parent’s perspective, and ideally, they will reciprocate. Dispute Resolution Another option is to invite the other party to...