The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (the Court) is a modern and innovative court committed to ensuring justice is delivered safely, efficiently and effectively. To do this, the Court is embracing innovation, technology and transformational change.
The Court has used its judicial expertise and examined learnings from past inquiries and reviews to build a system that focuses on risk, responsiveness and resolution, by:
- improving early risk identification and the safety of children and vulnerable parties
- encouraging smarter ways to separate with less animosity and less cost by using dispute resolution, where it is safe to do so
- expecting compliance with court orders
- enhancing access to justice nationally for vulnerable parties and regional communities through the use of technology, and
- aiming to resolving up to 90 per cent of cases within 12 months.
Legislative changes have enabled the Court to undertake major structural changes which feature:
- a single point of entry into the court system for all family law matters
- a new case management pathway
- harmonised family law rules
- new family law practice directions
- a focus on resolution through dispute resolution, and an increase in internal dispute resolution in parenting and financial matters
- an enhanced and effective child expert reporting process
- specialist court lists and
- an informative and modernised website.
Introducing the innovations
Specialist lists
- Lighthouse
- Evatt List
- PPP Cases (Priority Property Pool Cases)
- National COVID-19 List
- National Contravention List
- National Arbitration List
- Indigenous List
- Critical Incident List
- Migration Case Management – Central Migration Docket
- Registrar led small claims lists for general federal law matters
Reducing risk and enhancing safety
- Central Practice Direction – Family Law Case Management
- Lighthouse
- Dispute Resolution
- Court Children's Service and Court Child Experts
- Enhanced use of Judicial Registrars in early triage and assessment
- Information sharing with the State and territory child welfare agencies, police and courts.
Pilot projects
Webex electronic hearing pilot expansion
Assisting other countries
