Access to Justice

Family Court of Australia - Townsville Registry

The Family Court of Australia, through its specialist judges and staff, helps Australians to resolve their most complex family disputes. The Family Court of Australia is a superior court of record established by Parliament in 1975 under Chapter III of the Constitution. It commenced operations on 5 January 1976 and consists of a Chief Justice, a Deputy Chief Justice and other judges. The Court maintains registries in all Australian states and territories except Western Australia.

The Court’s goal is to deliver excellence in service for children, families and parties through effective judicial and non-judicial processes and high-quality and timely judgments, while respecting the needs of separating families.

The purpose of the Court, as Australia’s superior court in family law, is to:
• determine cases with the most complex law, facts and parties
• cover specialised areas in family law, and
• provide national coverage as the appellate court in family law matters.

Jurisdiction

The Family Court of Australia is a superior court of record and deals with more complex matters. These may include, for example:
• Parenting cases including those that involve a child welfare agency; allegations of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse of a child (Magellan cases); family violence and/or mental health issues with other complexities; multiple parties; complex cases where orders sought would have the effect of preventing a parent from communicating with or spending time with a child; multiple expert witnesses; complex questions of law and/or special jurisdictional issues; international child abduction under the Hague Convention; special medical procedures; and/or international relocation.
• Financial cases that involve multiple parties, valuation of complex interests in trust or corporate structures, including minority interests, multiple expert witnesses, complex questions of law and/or jurisdictional issues (including accrued jurisdiction) or complex issues concerning superannuation (such as complex valuations of defined benefit superannuation schemes).
The Court also has original jurisdiction under certain Commonwealth Acts, including the:
• Marriage Act 1961
• Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988
• Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989
• Bankruptcy Act 1966.