Family lawyer for Adelaide — divorce, consent orders and BFAs, by video

There's no single right first step, but a few things help almost everyone: making sure you and the children are safe and settled, gathering a simple picture of what you own and owe, and getting clear advice before you agree to anything significant. You don't need to have all the answers before we speak — working those out is my job.

Many Adelaide couples manage to reach agreement themselves or with a mediator. Where that's possible, my role is to make sure the agreement is fair, properly documented and legally binding, so it doesn't unravel later.

Consent orders turn an agreement about property, the children, or both into court orders that are final and enforceable. The application and proposed orders are filed online with the Federal Circuit and Family Court, with a $205 filing fee, and a registrar decides them on the papers, so neither of you has to go to court. Property orders must be just and equitable, and parenting orders must be in the children's best interests.

I draft the orders so they say exactly what you agreed, check the financial disclosure behind them, and explain every clause before you sign. My fee for Adelaide clients is $990 for property only or parenting only, or $1,490 for both, plus the court fee.

A Binding Financial Agreement (BFA) is a private contract under the Family Law Act setting out how property and superannuation will be divided, without a court approving it. Couples make them before marrying or moving in together, during the relationship, or after separating. Each of you must receive independent legal advice before signing, so I act for one of you and your partner needs their own lawyer.

For Adelaide clients, a straightforward BFA is from $1,490, and more complex agreements — for example where there's a family business, a trust or significant investments — range from $2,990 to $4,950.

You can apply for divorce once you've been separated for 12 months, alone or jointly, online through the Commonwealth Courts Portal. The court filing fee is $1,125, or $375 with a concession. My fee is $750 for a joint application and $990 for a sole one. Divorce ends the marriage but doesn't divide property, so the property settlement is a separate step.

Time limits matter: married couples generally have 12 months from the divorce taking effect to apply for property orders, and de facto couples generally two years from separating.

Adelaide matters are handled by the Federal Circuit and Family Court through its Adelaide registry. If a hearing is ever needed, I appear by video link where the court permits, or in person where the matter requires it, and brief local counsel myself if needed so you're not managing two sets of lawyers.

If you're not safe, call 000 in an emergency, or 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) for confidential support. Intervention orders in SA are made by the Magistrates Court of South Australia, and I'll help you work out what needs to happen locally. If the home is transferred between you under family law orders or a BFA, South Australia generally provides relief from stamp duty, subject to conditions, and we'll check how that applies.

I've set my fees for South Australian clients below my Victorian fees, because I'd rather more people get proper advice early than try to manage alone. You'll always know where you stand: after a free 30-minute consultation I confirm your fee in writing, and no work begins until you've agreed to it.