The court for family law is where the following matters are addressed:
- Parenting orders
- Divorce applications
- Financial and property dispute
- Order enforcement
- Spousal maintenance
- Warrants for children
- Parentage determination and such
Before entering the family court, you’ll need family legal advice to get the right help with any kind of law application. A good lawyer can also make sure you know what your legal rights are, as well as what you are responsible for. A professional lawyer can explain the law as it applies to you and your situation. For a database of legal practitioners, you can check out the Family Law Practitioners’ Association of Western Australia website and the Law Society of Western Australia too.
Seeking legal advice
There are a few organisations where you can look for family law advice. Here are some of the places you can check out. The Family Relationships Advice line, private legal firms, community legal services, the Citizens advice bureau and Legal Aid WA.
Legal Aid WA
At Legal Aid WA you can source a lot of information and also be referred to a number of different useful services. At Legal Aid WA, you can get:
- An appointment for legal advice that is one-off
- Access to representation if you meet the criteria of eligibility
- Assistance from the duty lawyer service at the family court
- Though keep in mind court staff can answer questions about the process of court but their information is not legal advice
Citizens advice bureau
This is an organisation that is community-based and has branches all around Western Australia that people can take advantage of. Every branch offers various public services including information and referrals for legal as well as nonlegal options available to you. You can visit them in person or check out their website to learn more.
The family relationship advice line
This is a fantastic service where anyone can call and get free family legal advice plus suggestions of services and information that might be helpful to you. These are services to do with family relationship problems as well as family law. You can also make a request for urgent legal help if you are in a dangerous situation. A time can be organised to call back when there is no risk of making a volatile situation worse.
Private lawyers
There are a lot of private lawyers you can consider for your family law issue. A court cannot refer you to a private lawyer though.
Community legal centres
Another place to seek family law advice is at community legal centres. If you are disadvantaged or low income you could qualify. To get a referral you should contact Community Legal Western Australia. You can also reach out to the centres directly.
Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia
Any Australian who is a Torres Strait Islander or is Aboriginal could qualify for legal advice and support from the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia. Their head office is in Perth but they have offices elsewhere in Western Australia.