When a couple says “we’ve already agreed on everything, ” that agreement, on its own, is worth very little in law. It can’t be enforced. It can’t stop a future claim. And if one person changes their mind in two years’ time, there is nothing to stop them.
A consent order is how you turn that agreement into something real.
It sounds procedural. And it is, in the best possible way. There’s no courtroom drama. In most cases, there’s no hearing at all. You reach agreement, you document it correctly, you file it with the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, and a registrar reviews it on the papers. If it meets the legal test, it becomes a court order, binding on both of you, with the same force as if a judge had decided it after a full trial.
So the real question isn’t “do we need a consent order? ” It’s “can we afford not to have one? “
That depends on what you’ve agreed, what assets are involved, and whether you genuinely understand what “we’ve agreed” means once it’s tested. Most people discover they didn’t quite agree on as much as they thought.
This article explains what consent orders are, what they cover, how you get them, and what to expect along the way.
Key Takeaways
- A consent order is a court-approved agreement that has the same legal force as an order made after a contested hearing, without requiring a court appearance.
- You can get consent orders for property, superannuation and parenting arrangements, and they can be filed and approved without attending court.
- There are strict time limits: twelve months after a divorce order takes effect for married couples, and two years after separation for de facto couples.
- Full financial disclosure is mandatory for property consent orders. Incomplete disclosure can cause orders to be set aside later.
- The court must be satisfied the property split is just and equitable, and parenting orders serve the best interests of the child, before it approves anything.
- You apply through the Commonwealth Courts Portal, not by attending a court counter in person.
What is a consent order in family law?
A consent order is a legally binding court order made with the agreement of both parties. You and your former partner agree on the terms. A lawyer drafts those terms into a form the court can approve. A registrar reads the documents, applies the legal test, and, if satisfied, makes the order. It then has exactly the same effect as an order made by a judge after a fully contested hearing.
That matters more than most people realise. It means your ex can’t ignore it. It means you can go back to court to enforce it if they do. And for property, it means the financial relationship between you is, in most circumstances, closed.
You don’t have to be divorced to get one. You don’t have to have already separated your finances. And you don’t have to agree on every detail before you speak to a lawyer. Consent orders work best when the broad agreement is there, but the legal documentation of that agreement is handled carefully.
There are two main types. Property consent orders deal with assets, liabilities and superannuation. Parenting consent orders deal with where your children live, how much time they spend with each parent, and how major decisions about their lives get made. You can apply for both at the same time, or for one type on its own.
Key Point: A verbal agreement with your ex, no matter how clear it felt at the time, cannot be enforced in court. Only a written agreement filed as a consent order, or a binding financial agreement prepared by lawyers, gives you genuine legal protection.
Is a consent order the same as a parenting plan or a written property agreement?
No, and the difference is significant.
A parenting plan is a written document you and your ex both sign. It can record your parenting arrangements clearly and sensibly. But it is not a court order. If your ex stops following it, you have no direct enforcement mechanism through the court. You’d need to apply for consent orders, or for contested parenting orders, to get something you can actually enforce.
A written property agreement, similarly, is not binding in the way people assume. Two people can sign a document saying who gets what, but without it being a consent order or a binding financial agreement prepared to strict legal requirements, either person can walk away from it. The courts can override it.
Consent orders, once made, are orders of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Breach of a consent order is breach of a court order. The remedies for that are serious and real.
The only other instrument with similar enforceability for property matters is a binding financial agreement. That route has its own requirements and its own costs, and isn’t right for every situation. For most couples who have reached genuine agreement on their finances and their parenting, consent orders are the simpler, more reliable path.
Expert Tip: If you and your ex have already written down your agreement, that’s a useful starting point. But don’t assume it’s done. What you have written needs to be converted into the correct legal form before it protects either of you.
Can I get a consent order before we’re divorced?
Yes. Consent orders for property or parenting can be made at any point after separation. You don’t have to wait for the divorce to come through.
In fact, for most couples, it makes sense to deal with property and parenting arrangements well before the divorce is finalised. Waiting until after the divorce introduces a time pressure: you then have twelve months from the date the divorce order takes effect to apply for a property settlement.
If you were in a de facto relationship and there is no divorce to speak of, your deadline is two years from the date of separation.
Missing either deadline doesn’t automatically end your chances, but you would need to seek the court’s permission to proceed out of time. That adds cost, uncertainty and delay. Getting consent orders in place before the deadline expires removes that risk entirely.
Key Point: You don’t need to be divorced to get consent orders, and in many cases it’s better to finalise property and parenting arrangements before the divorce order is made, not after.
What does a consent order cover?
Property and finances
A property consent order can record almost any arrangement you and your ex have agreed on for dividing your assets and liabilities. That includes the family home, investment properties, vehicles, savings accounts, shares, businesses, and debts.
It can also record a superannuation split, which is its own discrete legal mechanism. If one party has significantly more superannuation than the other, a consent order can split a nominated amount or percentage from one person’s super fund to the other’s. This requires a separate document called a superannuation agreement, and the relevant super fund trustee may need to be contacted as part of the process.
The consent order can also deal with spousal maintenance, including whether either party agrees to waive any future claim, or whether a payment arrangement has been agreed.
Importantly, a well-drafted property consent order includes what lawyers call a “clean break” clause. This records that neither party has any further financial claim against the other, subject to what the orders say. That protection is significant, and it’s one of the main reasons people go to the trouble of getting a consent order rather than just shaking hands.
Parenting arrangements
A parenting consent order can record where the children live, how much time they spend with each parent, and how that time is structured across the school term, school holidays and special days like Christmas and birthdays.
It can address how major long-term decisions about the children’s education, health and religion are made, and what happens if parents can’t agree on a decision. It can set out handover arrangements, including where and when children are collected and returned. It can cover communication between the children and each parent when the children are with the other parent.
The court will not approve parenting consent orders unless it’s satisfied they are in the best interests of the children. In practice, if your proposed arrangements are reasonable, sensible and child-focused, that test is not difficult to meet. The court will also require both parties to file a Notice of Risk form, which asks about any concerns regarding abuse, family violence or other risks to the children.
Expert Tip: Think carefully about what you need the orders to cover. Vague parenting orders that work when the relationship between you and your ex is cooperative can fall apart when it’s not. Specific, clear orders protect the children and reduce future conflict.
How do you get a consent order, step by step?
The process, in outline, looks like this.
Step one: reach agreement. You and your ex agree on the broad terms of your property settlement or parenting arrangements. This might happen through direct negotiation, with the help of lawyers, or through family dispute resolution (mediation).
Step two: financial disclosure. For property consent orders, both parties must provide full and frank disclosure of their financial position. That means assets, liabilities, income, superannuation balances and any other relevant financial interests. This isn’t optional and it isn’t flexible. Concealing assets is one of the limited grounds on which a consent order can later be set aside.
Step three: draft the documents. A lawyer drafts the proposed orders in the precise legal form required by the court. This includes the Application for Consent Orders form and the actual terms of the proposed orders, known as the minute of consent orders. For property, this document needs to be accurate, complete and internally consistent. For superannuation splitting, additional documentation is required.
Step four: both parties sign. Both parties, and their lawyers if they have them, sign the application. Both parties must consent genuinely. A registrar who suspects that consent was not freely given will not approve the orders.
Step five: file through the Commonwealth Courts Portal. Applications for consent orders are filed electronically through the Commonwealth Courts Portal. You do not attend a counter or a hearing. The documents are submitted, a filing fee is paid, and the application goes to a registrar for review.
Step six: registrar reviews the documents. The registrar reads the application on the papers. For property, they consider whether the proposed settlement is just and equitable. For parenting, they consider the best interests of the children. If the registrar is satisfied, they make the orders. If they have questions, they may contact the parties or their lawyers before deciding.
Step seven: orders are made. Once approved, the orders are sealed and returned to the parties. They are now court orders. Any steps required by the orders, such as transferring property, refinancing, or splitting superannuation, can then be taken.
Key Point: The process is designed to be done on the papers, without a hearing. Most straightforward consent order applications are approved without either party ever entering a courtroom.
What does the court check before approving consent orders?
The court doesn’t rubber-stamp whatever you’ve agreed. A registrar applies two legal tests, depending on the type of orders.
For property, the registrar must be satisfied the proposed settlement is just and equitable. That does not mean equal. It means fair in light of all the circumstances, including each person’s financial and non-financial contributions to the relationship, and each person’s future needs. An agreement that gives one party almost everything might still be approved, if the circumstances justify it. An agreement that appears to have been reached under pressure, or that significantly disadvantages one party without explanation, is more likely to attract scrutiny.
For parenting, the test is the best interests of the child. The registrar is looking at whether the proposed arrangements genuinely serve the children, not just whether the parents have agreed to them. If the orders include arrangements that raise concerns about the children’s safety or welfare, a registrar can decline to make them.
In practice, registrars do sometimes come back with questions or ask for amendments. Having a lawyer draft the documents significantly reduces the likelihood of this, because a well-drafted application anticipates what the registrar needs to see.
Expert Tip: “Just and equitable” doesn’t mean you need to give your ex a reason in writing for every decision. But the overall picture needs to make sense. An application that looks one-sided on its face, with no context, is more likely to be queried.
What will I get in a property consent order?
This is the question most people really want answered, and it’s the one that most genuinely depends on your specific circumstances.
The law doesn’t start from a 50/50 split. It starts by asking what the total pool of assets and liabilities is, then asks who contributed what, financially and non-financially, over the relationship, and then asks what each person’s future needs look like.
Non-financial contributions count. The parent who stayed home with the children, or who managed the household while the other built a business, made contributions that the law recognises alongside wage income and mortgage payments.
Future needs matter too. A significant income disparity, a health issue, or primary care of young children can all affect the final split.
What this means in practice is that consent orders can legitimately record a 60/40 split, a 70/30 split, or a different arrangement altogether, as long as it reflects a genuine assessment of contributions and needs. The fact that both parties have agreed doesn’t mean the registrar won’t look at the overall picture.
You should get specific advice about your own situation before committing to terms. A property settlement is, for most people, the single largest financial transaction of their life.
Key Point: Agreeing to terms doesn’t mean those terms are right for you. Getting advice before you sign anything, not after, is the point where legal guidance adds the most value.
What happens to the children in a consent order?
Parenting consent orders don’t grant “custody” in the old legal sense. Australian family law talks about parental responsibility, and about where children live and who they spend time with.
Most parenting consent orders record that both parents share equal shared parental responsibility for major long-term decisions. That’s the default position under the Family Law Act, and many couples maintain it in their consent orders even when day-to-day care is primarily with one parent.
The orders then set out the practical arrangements: which parent the children live with, when they spend time with the other parent, how school holidays are split, and what happens on significant dates.
Well-drafted parenting orders are specific enough to work when parents aren’t getting along, not just when they are. They anticipate school term changeovers, who picks up from where, and what happens if a parent is sick or unavailable. Vague orders create space for future conflict.
Parenting consent orders can be varied later if circumstances change. That flexibility is deliberate. Children’s needs change as they grow, and a parenting arrangement that makes sense for a five-year-old may not work for a teenager. Property orders don’t have the same flexibility.
Expert Tip: If one parent is relocating or there’s any chance of relocation in the near future, address it in the orders now. Relocation disputes are among the most contested in family law. A proactive consent order that deals with the possibility is far better than a contested application later.
How long do consent orders take?
From the day you first call a lawyer to the day the orders are made, most straightforward consent order matters take anywhere from six to sixteen weeks. The variables are significant.
Agreement comes first. If you and your ex are genuinely aligned, the process moves quickly. If there are still points of dispute, those need to be resolved before anything is filed, and that takes as long as it takes.
The documents then need to be prepared. For a simple matter with modest assets, this can be done in a few weeks. For matters involving businesses, complex property portfolios or superannuation splitting, the drafting takes longer, partly because the documents are more complex and partly because financial disclosure involves more information.
Once filed through the Commonwealth Courts Portal, the registrar’s review time varies. The court’s workload affects this. Some applications are turned around in a few weeks. Others take longer, particularly if the application needs clarification.
There is no fixed answer. But telling a client “it will definitely be done in six weeks” is a promise no responsible lawyer makes. What we can say is that your lawyers can control the things within our control, and chase the things that aren’t.
Key Point: Delays usually happen at one of two points: during negotiation, because the parties aren’t as aligned as they thought, or after filing, because the documents need clarification. Good drafting eliminates most of the second category.
How much do consent orders cost?
The cost of consent orders has two components: the court filing fee and legal professional fees.
Court filing fees are set by the Commonwealth and change periodically. Confirm the current fee directly with us or check the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia website, as we won’t publish a figure here that may be out of date.
Legal professional fees depend significantly on the complexity of the matter and how much work is required to reach agreement before any document is drafted. A straightforward parenting consent order where the couple has already agreed on all the terms costs less to prepare than a property matter involving a business, multiple properties and a superannuation split.
For people worried about cost, it’s worth putting it in perspective. The cost of getting consent orders done properly is, in most cases, a fraction of what it costs to litigate a disputed matter. It’s also a fraction of what it costs to fix consent orders that were drafted incorrectly, or to argue about the meaning of orders that weren’t specific enough. The cost of getting it right now is almost always lower than the cost of getting it wrong and coming back.
If you’re concerned about legal fees, raise it directly in your first conversation with us. We can explain what your matter is likely to involve and give you a realistic picture of what it will cost.
Expert Tip: Some couples try to split the legal cost by having one lawyer draft everything for both of them. That is not how it works, and it creates a conflict of interest problem. Each party should have their own independent advice, particularly on a property settlement.
Can you apply for consent orders online, or do you have to go to court?
You apply through the Commonwealth Courts Portal, which is an online filing system. You do not go to a court counter. You do not attend a hearing, in the vast majority of cases. The application is lodged electronically, the registrar reviews it on the papers, and the sealed orders are returned electronically.
If the registrar has questions, they may contact the parties or their lawyers in writing. There is no room for a back-and-forth conversation or a negotiation with the registrar at the counter. The documents need to be right when they’re filed.
This is one of the genuine advantages of the consent order process: it’s designed to be resolved without a court appearance. That matters for people who are anxious about the idea of a courtroom, and for people who want to resolve their family matters privately.
Key Point: You file consent orders through the Commonwealth Courts Portal. There is no court appearance for a standard application, and the process is designed to be resolved on the papers by a registrar.
What if my ex won’t cooperate or keeps changing their mind?
This is where consent orders stop being available to you. By definition, a consent order requires genuine agreement from both parties. If your ex is refusing to engage, is changing their position repeatedly, or is not providing their financial information honestly, the consent order pathway becomes unavailable or impractical.
At that point, you have options. A family dispute resolution provider (a mediator) can help facilitate agreement, and for parenting matters, attempting family dispute resolution is generally required before you can file a contested application in court. A lawyer can also sometimes get things moving through correspondence that helps a reluctant ex understand the consequences of delay or non-compliance.
If agreement genuinely can’t be reached, a contested application becomes the path. That is a different process, with a different cost and timeline.
It’s worth being honest with yourself about what’s actually happening. Sometimes “my ex keeps changing their mind” means you haven’t quite got there yet. Sometimes it means the other person is not negotiating in good faith. A good lawyer will help you work out which situation you’re in, and what to do about it.
Expert Tip: If financial disclosure is the problem, and you suspect your ex isn’t being honest about their assets, legal mechanisms exist to compel disclosure. Acting before assets are moved or hidden is far easier than trying to trace them afterwards.
Are consent orders final, or can they be changed later?
The answer is different for property and for parenting.
Property consent orders are, in most circumstances, final. Once made, they resolve the financial relationship between you. The grounds for setting them aside are narrow: fraud, the concealment of assets or income, a party entering the agreement under duress, or circumstances arising after the order that make it impractical to carry out. The courts set aside property consent orders rarely, and with good reason. Finality is the point.
Parenting consent orders can be varied. The legal test for changing parenting orders is whether there has been a significant change in circumstances since the orders were made. A change in where one parent lives, a significant change in a child’s needs, or a breakdown in the arrangements that makes the existing orders unworkable can all justify a fresh application. The new orders would then replace the old ones.
This distinction matters for how you approach each type of order. Property orders need to get it right first time, because there’s very little room to fix them later. Parenting orders have some flexibility built in, because the law recognises that families change.
Key Point: Property consent orders are designed to be final. Take the time to get them right, because the grounds for undoing them are narrow. Parenting orders have more flexibility, which reflects the reality that children’s lives and needs change.
Will consent orders affect Centrelink, tax or superannuation?
Potentially, yes, and this is an area where getting advice before you finalise your agreement is important.
Transferring property between former spouses or de facto partners under a consent order is generally exempt from stamp duty in Queensland, but the mechanics of that exemption need to be handled correctly. If you get it wrong, you may not get the benefit.
Capital gains tax is a more complex issue. A property transfer under a consent order is generally exempt from CGT at the time of transfer, but the tax liability may crystallise for the receiving party when they later sell the asset. If one of you is taking an investment property and the other is taking the family home, the CGT positions are very different. This needs to be factored into what you agree to, not discovered afterwards.
Superannuation splitting under a consent order has its own procedural requirements, including a specific form of agreement that the super fund trustee must receive. If this isn’t done correctly, the split may not take effect.
For Centrelink, a change in your asset position, income and living arrangements after separation can affect your entitlements. The consent order itself doesn’t automatically trigger a Centrelink review, but the changes it records may. It’s worth understanding what changes you need to notify Services Australia about, and when.
Expert Tip: Tax and Centrelink consequences are not legal advice issues you can look up yourself and get right. An accountant or financial adviser should review the financial terms of your proposed consent order, and that conversation should happen before you sign, not after.
How safe is it to negotiate consent orders where there’s been family violence or controlling behaviour?
Consent orders require genuine agreement. If family violence or coercive control is present or has been present in the relationship, the question of whether agreement is truly free and voluntary is a serious one.
The Family Law Act recognises this. A consent order can be set aside if it was entered into under duress. But setting aside an order after the fact is costly and difficult. The more important step is making sure you have independent advice and support before you agree to anything.
If there has been family violence, or if you feel pressured or unsafe in negotiating directly with your ex, there are practical measures that can help. Negotiating through lawyers rather than directly with your ex removes the immediate pressure. Family dispute resolution has provisions for people in this situation, including shuttle mediation where parties don’t have to be in the same room.
If you have a domestic violence order in place, or if one is being considered, that affects how parenting arrangements can be structured. The parenting consent order needs to be consistent with the domestic violence order, not in conflict with it.
Safety comes before settlement. If you’re not safe, or you don’t feel safe, say so in your first conversation with us.
Key Point: Agreement under pressure isn’t genuine agreement. If there’s been family violence or controlling behaviour in your relationship, get independent advice first, before you agree to any terms with your ex.
What documents and information do you need to prepare?
For a property consent order, you will need to put together a clear picture of the financial landscape. That includes:
- A complete list of assets: real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, shares, businesses, money owed to you.
- A complete list of liabilities: mortgages, personal loans, credit cards, other debts.
- Current superannuation balances for both of you, from recent statements.
- Recent payslips or tax returns showing income.
- Evidence of property values, such as a recent valuation or agent’s estimate if the family home is involved.
- If a business is involved, recent financial statements and, if necessary, a business valuation.
For a parenting consent order, the factual starting point is a clear description of the current arrangements and what you and your ex are proposing. The more specific you can be, the better the documents you end up with.
You’ll also need to complete a Notice of Risk form as part of the application, which asks about any safety concerns regarding the children.
Expert Tip: The more organised your information is before your first appointment, the faster and more cost-effectively your matter can be prepared. Gathering everything into one folder before you call us saves time on both sides.
Does a consent order cover superannuation and future maintenance?
Yes to both, with some important detail.
Superannuation splitting is specifically enabled under the Family Law Act and can be recorded in a consent order. The split can be by a fixed amount or by a percentage of the fund’s value. The super fund trustee receives a copy of the order and implements the split. Some super funds, particularly self-managed super funds, have their own requirements, and the process can take longer in those cases.
Spousal maintenance, which is a payment from one party to support the other’s living expenses, can also be addressed in a consent order. The order might record that maintenance is to be paid, at what amount and for how long. Alternatively, it might record that each party waives any future claim for maintenance. Either way, having it in the consent order removes any ambiguity.
If your consent order doesn’t deal with maintenance, and one party later claims they should have received it, that could become a complication. It’s better to address it expressly, one way or the other.
Key Point: A consent order that deals with superannuation and maintenance, even if only to record that each party waives any claim, is more complete and more protective than one that is silent on those issues.
What does the process look like working with us?
When you come to C + K Family Lawyers, the first conversation is about understanding your situation, not about filing anything. We want to understand what you’ve agreed, what you’re not sure about, and what the financial and parenting picture looks like.
We’ll give you an honest view of whether the terms you’re considering are likely to be approved by a registrar, and whether there are any gaps or risks you haven’t thought about yet. If your proposed arrangements look sensible, we’ll say so. If there are issues, we’ll raise them with you before you commit to anything.
We then draft the documents, handle communication with your ex’s lawyer if they have one, and manage the filing through the Commonwealth Courts Portal. We keep you informed at each step so there are no surprises. Once the orders are made, we make sure you understand what happens next, including any steps required to transfer assets or implement the orders.
If there are complications, such as a superannuation split, a property transfer, a business interest or a question about tax, we work with your accountant or financial adviser to make sure the consent order actually does what it’s supposed to do.
The goal is to get you to the other side with certainty, not just a piece of paper.
If you’re ready to talk through your situation, contact our team for a confidential, no-obligation conversation.
Expert Tip: The clients who find this process least stressful are usually the ones who come in early, before they’ve committed to specific terms with their ex. Coming in early means you’re making informed decisions. Coming in late can mean managing the consequences of decisions that weren’t quite right.
When should you get legal advice about consent orders?
The honest answer is before you agree to anything in writing with your ex.
Most people get advice after they’ve already reached an agreement, or think they have. That can work. But it creates a situation where your lawyer has to either endorse terms they weren’t involved in, or tell you something is wrong with an agreement your ex also agreed to, which then reopens negotiation.
Coming in before the agreement is finalised gives your lawyer room to identify problems early, when they’re cheapest and easiest to fix. It lets you understand what you’re entitled to before you agree to something that may be less. And it ensures the documents you sign up to are actually enforceable and complete.
Ask us: what does a just and equitable settlement look like in my situation? What should the parenting orders specifically cover? Are there any tax or superannuation issues I need to understand before I agree to these terms? And what will happen if my ex doesn’t comply with the orders once they’re made?
Those questions are worth asking before you’re locked in.
Frequently asked questions
Can we do consent orders ourselves without a lawyer?
You can attempt to prepare and file a consent order application without a lawyer, using the official kit from the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. For very simple parenting arrangements where assets are minimal or already dealt with, this is more realistic. For any property matter of substance, the risks of DIY are significant: incorrect descriptions of assets, missed tax consequences, errors in superannuation splitting, and vague terms that can’t be enforced. Registrars sometimes return DIY applications for amendment. Getting legal advice is not compulsory, but for most people it’s the more practical and more protective option.
What if my ex agrees now but changes their mind later?
Until the consent orders are signed and filed, either party can withdraw from the process. Once orders are made by the court, they are binding. If your ex is unreliable about following through, that’s important information. It may mean you need to move more quickly to get documents signed, or it may mean a negotiated consent order isn’t realistic and a different approach is needed.
Can consent orders cover overseas assets?
In principle, yes. The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has jurisdiction to make orders in relation to property wherever it is located. The practical challenge is enforcing those orders if the overseas country doesn’t give effect to Australian court orders. Overseas assets in a property settlement need careful handling, and the specific situation should be discussed with your lawyer.
What if one of us owns a business?
A business interest is an asset that goes into the property pool. It needs to be valued, which may require an independent business valuation. The consent order then records how the business interest is dealt with: one party buying out the other, a sale of the business, or some other arrangement. Business matters add complexity and time to the consent order process, but they’re not unusual and can be handled properly with the right advice.
What happens if my ex doesn’t do what the consent order says after it’s made?
A consent order is a court order. If your ex doesn’t comply, you can return to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to enforce it. The court has powers to compel compliance, and repeated or serious non-compliance can result in significant consequences for the person in breach. This is one of the fundamental advantages of a consent order over an informal written agreement: there is something to enforce.
Where to go from here
Getting a consent order done properly is not complicated. But it does require the right information, the right documents and the right advice before anything is signed.
If you and your ex are close to agreement, or even if you’re still working through the details, now is the right time to talk to someone. The earlier you get advice, the more options you have.
Contact the C + K Family Lawyers team for a confidential, no-obligation conversation about your situation. We work with separating couples across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and we’ll give you a straight picture of what your matter involves, what it’s likely to cost and how long it will take.
Certainty is available. You don’t have to stay in limbo.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Family law outcomes depend on your individual circumstances. For advice about your situation, speak with a qualified family lawyer.
About the Author
Christopher (Chris) Jones is the Principal Lawyer and co-founder of CK Family Lawyers, a Queensland family law firm. Chris advises on divorce, property settlement, parenting arrangements, binding financial agreements, mediation and domestic violence matters. After working in legal environments where clients felt depersonalised and lost in jargon, he co-founded the firm with Krystina Jones on the belief that people deserve family lawyers who genuinely care, and he works directly with his clients throughout their matters.
