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Court etiquette in Victoria consists of customs and rules of appropriate behaviour. When in court, all attendees are expected to show respect to the court system and the magistrates and judges. You may be asked to depart if you do not follow the rules of etiquette. Getting ready for court Court etiquette in Victoria means…

Courts in South Australia have rules of etiquette to which all people in attendance, from legal professionals to community members, should adhere. This strict standard of behaviour reflects the seriousness of the courtrooms and the necessary respect for the law, the magistrate or judge (the judicial officers) and the court itself. To maintain the dignity…

In Queensland, courts are formal places and certain rules of etiquette apply to those who are attending as in any other formal setting such as workplaces and educational facilities. You are expected to be respectful and you must behave appropriately at all times. You may be asked to leave the court by the magistrate or…

An Apprehended Violence Order or AVO in New South Wales is a Court order made under the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 to protect you from violence, intimidation or harassment in the future. An AVO in New South Wales is called an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) if you and the person against…

If you experience violence or fear violence in a domestic or family relationship you can apply for an order (including an urgent or temporary order) to help stop that violence. The police may also press charges against the person who is being violent. Each Australian state has its own laws regarding violence orders and the…

 The rules that govern whether or not an overseas marriage is valid under Australian law are found in the Marriage Act 1961. If you were married overseas it will usually be recognised as valid in Australia if at the time you married: your marriage was recognised as valid under the law of the country…

Under the Family Law Act, moving the children to another town, city, state or country is known as relocation. If a parent moving will limit the time the children get to live with or spend with the other parent or another significant person in their lives, a court may not give permission by way of…

The Family Law Act directs that you must attend Family Law Mediation or Family Dispute Resolution before you file an application for parenting orders or financial orders. Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) is the legal term for services (such as mediation) that help people to sort out their disputes. It can help you to agree on…

If you have applied to the Department of Immigration for a visa and they have rejected your application or you are not satisfied with the visa decision, you may be able to ask for the decision to be reviewed. Prior to 1 July 2015, the type of visa for which you had applied determined which…

Are you looking at employing overseas workers for your business? If so, you may want to consider sponsoring a worker under the subclass 457 visa. This kind of visa is called a Temporary Work (Skilled) visa, and is used to quickly engage overseas workers in certain occupations for up to four years. To employ an…

It can be a very daunting process if the police come knocking on your door and want to question you over an alleged offence, or even worse arrest you and take you back to the station. It is important to have an understanding of your rights and obligations when faced with this situation. A police…

In recent years, police across Australia have been given increased powers with respect to the investigation of those driving offences which are colloquially known as hooning, and have implemented various hoon laws. Hooning is anti-social and dangerous driving behaviour, ranging from doing burnouts and doughnuts to more serious offences such as evading police by speeding…

Section 61 of the Road Traffic Act 1974 defines dangerous driving as driving a motor vehicle in a manner (including speeding) that is, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, dangerous to the public or to any person. The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘dangerous’ as ‘able or likely to cause harm or injury’. In…

Children who are supported and encouraged to maintain a relationship with parents, grandparents and other relatives, can adapt to the changing situation with greater ease. Obviously, reaching an amicable agreement for access to children is not always possible, and in some situations a parent may need to apply to the Family Court or the Federal…

The ‘no fault’ principle Divorce in Australia follows the no-fault principle, which was established by the Family Law Act 1975. This means that the court does not need to know the reason for the divorce, just that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. When can I apply for a divorce in Australia? To apply for divorce in…

A de facto relationship is a relationship in which a couple lives together on a genuine domestic basis. This definition is the same across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory. Couples who are same sex or opposite sex are included in the definition of…