Family lawyer for Mount Gambier and the Limestone Coast — by video

Most family law work never needs you in a lawyer's office. Advice, negotiation, consent orders, BFAs and divorce applications can all be handled by video, phone and email, with documents signed electronically or witnessed locally. Applications are filed online with the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, so there's no need to make the trip to Adelaide for an agreed outcome.

Working remotely can also bring a little welcome privacy in a close-knit community.

If you or your former partner live, work or own property in Victoria, the family law is the same — the federal Act applies in both states, and one set of orders can deal with property in either. Parenting arrangements can account for travel between towns on either side of the border, school terms and the long distances involved.

Some related matters, like intervention orders, are governed by state law, so if anything needs to happen locally in South Australia or Victoria, I'll explain what and where. As a Victorian lawyer, I'm also familiar with the Victorian side of things.

Across the Limestone Coast, many families own farms, rural land or businesses connected to farming, forestry or local trade. These are often both a home and a livelihood, sometimes held with extended family, and separating can feel as though it threatens everything. These assets usually need to be valued and considered alongside superannuation and other property, and there are often ways to keep a farm or business going while still reaching a fair settlement.

I'll help you understand how your particular assets are likely to be viewed, and what options might protect what matters most to you.

Consent orders make an agreement about property or children final and enforceable. They're filed online with the Federal Circuit and Family Court with a $205 filing fee, and decided on the papers. My fee is $990 for property only or parenting only, or $1,490 for both. A straightforward BFA is from $1,490, with complex agreements — common where there's a farm or business — from $2,990 to $4,950, and each of you needs independent legal advice before signing.

Divorce is available after 12 months of separation. The court filing fee is $1,125 ($375 with a concession), and my fee is $750 joint or $990 sole. Married couples generally have 12 months after the divorce to apply for property orders, and de facto couples generally two years from separation.

If you're unsafe, call 000 in an emergency or 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) for confidential support. Intervention orders in South Australia are made by the Magistrates Court. Family law matters for South Australia go through the Federal Circuit and Family Court's Adelaide registry; if a hearing is needed, I appear by video link where the court permits, or in person where required.

If property 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 — including for rural land.

My fees for SA clients are lower than my Victorian fees, and you won't pay for travel because there isn't any. We start with a free 30-minute consultation, and I confirm your fee in writing before any work begins, so you always know where you stand.