Video chapters
Quick answer
Start with your state or territory Legal Aid commission, but do not stop there if a grant is unavailable. Community legal centres, FASS, specialist women's and First Nations services, government-funded family dispute resolution and carefully scoped private advice can each solve a different part of the problem.
What to do
- Legal Aid — Check the local means, merits and matter guidelines
- Specialist — Use CLC, FASS, WLS, ATSILS or FVPLS services
- Resolve — Try subsidised FDR where it is safe and suitable
- Scope — Buy advice or drafting for the highest-risk task
Transcript
Family law can feel unaffordable, but representation is not the only useful form of help. Separate your needs: urgent safety advice, negotiation, document review, family dispute resolution, drafting or full court representation. Different services can cover different pieces, and combining them often works better than waiting for one perfect referral.
Every state and territory has a Legal Aid commission. Information and some advice may be free, while ongoing representation usually requires a formal grant. Provide income, assets, court documents, safety issues and deadlines. If refused, ask for the reasons, review rights and referrals rather than assuming all free help has ended.
Community legal centres offer advice and casework. FASS helps people affected by family violence with family-law issues. Women's Legal Services, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and family-violence prevention legal services provide specialist support. The Family Relationship Advice Line can connect you with government-funded dispute resolution.
If full representation is out of reach, buy a conference to map options, review proposed orders, settle an affidavit or prepare for a hearing. Ask what the quoted fee includes and what you must do. Court staff can explain process but cannot advise which order to seek or whether evidence is strong.
Do not let referral calls consume a filing period. Go To Court provides free general information at any hour. It can arrange a sixty-minute consultation for two hundred ninety-five dollars where a suitable family lawyer is available. The contact details are on your screen.
Sources and further help
Sources checked 3 September 2026.
Important
This video provides general information about family law in Australia. It is not legal advice and does not take account of your circumstances. Parenting decisions turn on the child's best interests and safety; property outcomes turn on the evidence and circumstances. Laws and court processes can change. Get advice from a qualified lawyer about your situation.