Video chapters
Quick answer
First identify whether the event is a directions hearing, interim hearing, dispute-resolution event or final hearing. Read every order and practice direction, file and serve documents by the stated deadline, organise admissible evidence and prepare a short list of the exact orders you want.
What to do
- Identify — Know exactly what kind of court event is listed
- Read — Turn each existing order into a dated task
- Prepare — File, serve and organise evidence correctly
- Present — State the orders sought and the facts supporting them
Transcript
A family court listing may be a directions hearing, interim hearing, dispute-resolution event or final hearing. Check the notice and the latest orders. At a procedural event the court may set tasks. At an interim hearing it decides temporary issues. At trial, witnesses give evidence and may be cross-examined.
Create a table of each order: what must be filed, served, disclosed or arranged, by whom and by when. Confirm whether attendance is in person or electronic. Organise affidavits, financial statements, expert reports, subpoenas and exhibits under the applicable rules and practice direction. Serve the other parties correctly.
An affidavit should identify what you personally saw, heard, did or received, with dates and source documents. Separate evidence from submissions. Use a chronology, asset schedule or parenting proposal where appropriate. Check whether recordings, messages and third-party records are admissible and whether a witness or subpoena is needed to prove them.
Have a clean list of the exact orders you seek. At an interim hearing, focus on the immediate issue, risk and practical arrangement. At trial, witnesses swear or affirm evidence and cross-examination tests it before submissions. Be respectful, do not interrupt and take a note of every new order and deadline.
A lawyer can review the listing, orders, evidence gaps and proposed orders before the hearing. Go To Court can provide free general information and arrange a family-law consultation where a suitable lawyer is available. Bring the complete court file to make the hour useful.
Sources and further help
Sources checked 3 September 2026.
- Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia — Family law central practice direction
- Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia — Applying for parenting orders
- Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia — Financial Statement kit
- Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia — Serving family law documents
- Go To Court Lawyers — Urgent legal help
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.