Family lawyers help with Family Dispute Resolution

Blog

Dispute resolution within the family can become a complicated process depending on the specific circumstances involved. While the concept of the family unit is meant to promote togetherness, peace and love, sometimes family disputes can get ugly for those involved. Family lawyers are therefore responsible for legally mediating family disputes and making sure that the stipulations of the law are followed.

Family law covers many different aspects of the family unit, such as divorce, financial responsibility, childcare, and family property.

Family Dispute Resolution

Family lawyers can represent your specific interests during the Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) process. This process is aimed at assisting couple in resolving issues that affect them and their families. The FDR process proceeds as follows:

Mediation

Most family dispute resolutions begin with a mediation process. This is a voluntary step that is aimed at resolving family disputes before they are taken to a family court. Australian law often requires that family disputes first go through a mediation process before they can be tried in court. After a genuine effort at mediation fails, the case can then proceed to the next stage.

How mediation works

During mediation, the disputing parties will appear before a mediator in order to express their concerns. The mediator is a law professional who serves 3 main purposes:

• Creating a communication channel between the disputing parties in order for concerns to be expressed
• Clearly identifying the issues that are causing the dispute
• Suggesting workable solutions to the dispute

How a family lawyer can help

Most family disputes surround the needs of children or the proper division of property among the parties. Because such issues are highly sensitive, it is important to seek the services of a family lawyer during the dispute. A family lawyer can represent your specific interests during mediation and if the case ends up in front of a family court.

Family lawyers deal with the following specific areas of family law:

• Children and family law: this covers the rights of children within the family and the responsibility that each parent has towards the upbringing of the children.

• Family dispute resolution: this law covers how separating parents will resolve their issues around the care and upbringing of children.

• Family violence: families that are at risk of domestic violence can be protected under the family violence act. It is even more important to seek a family lawyer during cases of family violence.

• Family law system: the family law system is aimed at assisting people in resolving the legal aspect of family relationships.

25 October 2017