Federal Family Law Maze
Navigate the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia with step-by-step guidance
Federal Family Law Maze
A comprehensive guide to navigating the Family Court system step-by-step
🧩 Stage 1: Apply or Respond
💼 Start your case clearly, correctly, and with confidence.
⚡At a Glance
- ✔ Choose your case type: Parenting, Property, or Both
- ✔ File an Initiating Application (or Respond with a Response to Initiating Application)
- ✔ Support your application with the right affidavits and forms
- ❗ Avoid delays by filing all required forms and evidence the first time
📁 What Forms Do I Need?
If Applying:
- Initiating Application (Family Law)
- Parenting Questionnaire / General Affidavit (parenting matters)
- General Affidavit (property matters)
- Financial Statement (property matters)
- Genuine Steps Certificate
- Notice of Risk (if parenting issues exist)
If Responding:
- Response to Initiating Application
- Parenting Questionnaire / General Affidavit (parenting matters)
- General Affidavit (property matters)
- Financial Statement (property matters)
- Genuine Steps Certificate
- Notice of Risk (if parenting issues exist)
🧰 Tools to Help You
📦 Stage 1 – Apply or Respond Pack includes:
- Your Federal Family Law Journey – Where Do I Start?
- Filing & Serving Your Documents (Federal Family Court)
- Top 10 Mistakes Self Representing Litigants ("SRL") Make When Starting a Family Law Case
- What Forms Do I Need? (Federal Family Court)
- Step-by-Step Guide Filling Out: Initiating Application (Family Law)
- Step-by-Step Guide Filling Out: Response to Initiating Application
- Step-by-Step Guide Filling Out: Financial Questionnaire
- Step-by-Step Guide Filling Out: Financial Statement
- Step-by-Step Guide Filling Out: Affidavit
- Step-by-Step Guide Filling Out: Notice of Child Abuse, Family Violence or Risk
- Step-by-Step Guide Filling Out: Parenting Questionnaire
- Who's Who in the Courtroom?
- What's Next? It's Time to Build Your Story.
✍️ Stage 2: Prepare Your Affidavit
🖋️ Your story. Your evidence. Your voice.
⚡At a Glance
- ✔ Write in clear, numbered paragraphs
- ✔ Stick to facts—not opinions
- ✔ Structure around your requested orders
- ✔ Include only relevant evidence
- ❗ Avoid irrelevant or emotionally charged content
📘 What Is This Stage About?
The Court makes decisions based on evidence — your affidavit is your main form of evidence. It must be structured, relevant, and legally compliant.
🧰 Tools to Help You
📦 Stage 2 – Affidavit Builder Pack includes:
- Writing Your Affidavit – Tell the Story the Right Way
- Your Affidavit Planning Map (Parenting + Property)
- How to Draft Your Federal Family Law Affidavit – Step by Step
- Top 7 Affidavit Mistakes to Avoid (Federal Family Court)
- Your Parenting Affidavit – Getting Started
- Your Property Affidavit – Diving Deeper
- What Makes Good Evidence in an Affidavit?
📂 Stage 3: Exchange Disclosure & Evidence
📊 Transparency is your legal obligation.
⚡At a Glance
- ✔ Exchange financial docs (Form 13 + supporting docs)
- ✔ Submit Undertaking as to Disclosure
- ✔ Share evidence in parenting/property disputes
- ❗Full and frank disclosure is mandatory
📘 What Is This Stage About?
Each party must disclose relevant financial and evidential material early and completely. This applies whether you're going to mediation or trial.
🧰 Tools to Help You
📦 Stage 3 – Disclosure & Evidence Pack includes:
- Disclosure & Evidence – What You Must Share (and Why)
- Your Disclosure Checklist – Federal Family Court
- How to Prepare, Organise, and Use Evidence in Family Court
- Indexing & Labelling Your Disclosure Like a Pro
- Subpoenas in Family Law – What You Need to Know
- Top 7 Evidence & Disclosure Mistakes in Family Law
🤝 Stage 4: Mediation or Court
🎯 Resolve if possible. Prepare if not.
⚡At a Glance
- ✔ Attend Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) unless exempt
- ✔ Submit proposals in parenting/property
- ✔ Attend procedural hearings if unresolved
- ❗Be prepared for either settlement or escalation
📘 What Is This Stage About?
Most matters attempt FDR or conciliation. If unresolved, the Court will case manage your matter toward trial.
🧰 Tools to Help You
📦 Stage 4 – Mediation & Court Pack includes:
- Explainer on Family Law Mediation and Court Processes in Australia
- Am I Ready for Court? A Step-by-Step Self-Check
- FDR vs Court – What to Expect
- Understanding Subpoenas in Family Law Proceedings
- 7 Mediation & Court Prep Mistakes (Federal Family Court)
⚖️ Stage 5: Prepare for Trial
🗂️ Organisation + clarity = confidence.
⚡At a Glance
- ✔ Finalise affidavits, exhibits, and orders
- ✔ Attend Callover (if required)
- ✔ Organise Trial Book + folders
- ❗Non-compliance with orders can affect outcome
📘 What Is This Stage About?
This is where your preparation becomes crucial. Everything submitted must align with rules and deadlines — including late disclosure, subpoenas, and procedural orders.
🧰 Tools to Help You
📦 Stage 5 – Trial Toolkit Pack includes:
- Getting Courtroom-Ready – What You Need to Know
- Trial Prep Checklist – Are You Ready to Present Your Case?
- Inside the Courtroom – A Self-Represented Litigant's Guide
- Sample Court Orders – What Judges May Direct at Trial
- Build Your Court Folder Like a Pro
- Top 7 Courtroom Mistakes Self-Represented Litigants Make
🛠️ Stage 6: Enforce or Change Orders
🔁 When orders go wrong, here's what to do.
⚡At a Glance
- ✔ Use Form 2 + General Affidavit
- ✔ Apply to vary, enforce, or recover orders
- ✔ Certificate of Conferral (for property changes)
- ❗Contravention = serious consequences
📘 What Is This Stage About?
Sometimes orders are ignored, breached, or no longer workable. You can apply to vary, enforce, or seek specific relief.
🧰 Tools to Help You
📦 Stage 6 – Change or Enforce Pack includes:
- You've Got Orders – Now What?
- Should I Enforce or Apply to Vary?
- Checklist: Filing a Contravention Application.
- Writing an Affidavit to Enforce or Vary Orders.
- What Can the Court Do?
- Top 6 Mistakes When Trying to Enforce or Vary Court Orders
🏛️ Stage 7: Appeal or Review
📋 The Court made a decision. But was it fair and lawful?.
⚡At a Glance
- ✔ Determine if appeal or review is viable
- ✔ Apply within 21 days
- ✔ File Forms 20 + Leave + Affidavit
- ❗Appeals are not retrials — they review errors of law
📘 What Is This Stage About?
If you believe there was a legal error, or the outcome was unjust, you may appeal or seek review. This is technical — tread carefully.
🧰 Tools to Help You
📦 Stage 7 – Appeal & Review Pack includes:
- Final Orders – What Are Your Options Now?
- Should I Appeal My Family Court Orders?
- Don't Jump to Appeal – Consider These Steps First.
- Appeal or Not? What Happens in Real Cases.
- Am I Really Ready to Appeal?
- Top 6 Mistakes People Make After Final Orders