- You must wait twelve months following separation before you apply for a divorce.
- You have twelve months from the date of your divorce to settle your property matters or apply to the court for property orders.
- The court does not impose time limits for parenting matters – the only requirement is that the children are under 18 years old.
- You must appeal a decision within 28 days of the final order.
Family Law can cross into other countries and thus involve multiple jurisdictions. We at Richardson Murray have a network of exceptional family law firms, with whom we can work to ensure that our client’s are properly represented.
Our lawyers are experienced in Hague Convention of on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and have been successful in applications for the recovery of children from foreign jurisdictions. At Richardson Murray we have lawyers who can speak multiple languages and we are experienced in working with interpreters, for client and witness communication and court document preparation.
Your Trusted Family Lawyers
If you’re looking for not only the best but genuine advice, look no further. The team gave me advice in a way that I could understand and helped me through a very tough time.
Very professional and easy to work with. A true leader in his field of family law. Happy to go above and beyond for his clients.
Amazing Lawyers that really care, Brooke and Anton went above and beyond for me to get the fairest outcome and where so caring for myself and my family through this hard time, can not recommend them enough.
The Team at Richardson Murray have been exceptional to deal with over the course of the matter we had in front of us. Despite continued frustrations through an arduous journey, their focus and sound advice did not waiver and communication with Anton & Brooke was always strong. Thank you for a great outcome to a long journey.
Brooke went over and above to make the difficult process of property and parenting orders as smooth as possible. Both parties were treated with total respect, courtesy and professionalism. I highly recommend Richardson Murray Family Law.
My experience at Richardson Murray was nothing short of incredible! From the moment I walked in I felt so supported and comfortable. Stephanie Murray provided me all the information I needed, ensured I understood and really cared about me as a person. I felt such trust throughout the whole process and highly recommend Richardson Murray!
A massive thank you to Stephanie, Sarah yourself and all your staff there at Richardson Murray for all your hard work time and effort. I’m ever so glad to see the close of this chapter made easy to do so by your team. It was stressful at times but got there in the end, again thank you.
Thanks a million Brooke and Anton. You guys have truly been amazing. Couldn’t have asked for a better team. So indebted to you for all your outstanding hard work no matter what the outcome is.
Thank you very much, I really appreciate all that you and your firm have done for me, you’ve done so much in a short amount of time of engaging you, I only wish Adrienne had joined BNI earlier, so I didn’t have to deal with the other firm. I appreciate the care and consideration from all of the women in this email and also helping me to manage my anxiety through this process, which has been right up there in in terms of the hardest things I’ve had to get through.
I would like to sincerely thank you (Brooke Mallard and Stephanie Murray) and your firm for your professionalism and speedy resolution to my matter.
I wanted to thank you Stephanie for all your work and support and for helping me bring to a close what has been a very difficult year. I cannot express enough my heartfelt gratitude for having you on my team.
Anton’s knowledge, skilled advice and empathetic nature also helped me feel supported through the entire process. He wanted only the best for me personally as well as legally, which afforded me renewed strength and belief – the chance to breathe again. He saw and treated me as a father who needed help, not a client, and his efforts on my behalf have helped me to regain my life, released of an enormous weight I never thought would lift. I simply can’t thank Anton enough and I’ll be forever grateful for his services.
Quick to respond, always helpful and goes over and above for service. As the CEO of a large healthcare business we need quick and swift legal support. We dealt with Steph Murray and no matter the time of the day we got feedback on specific legal matters. The situation was handled quickly and all parties involved left happy with the outcome. Highly recommend Richardson Murray!
Having had Anton Represent me the first time there was no question whom I would call.I needed support immediately, literally hours to respond and obtain representation. The team at Richardson Murray immediately responded and collaborated as a team. Stephanie Murray took control of my situation with a skillset that put me in the strongest position possible in such difficult circumstances. There is no question, Anton, Stephanie and the entire team are a step above. I am extremely grateful and recommend Richardson Murray to anyone that finds themselves seeking advice, support and guidance in Family Law.
Exceptional in every respect and incredibly responsive in delivering the Partner-level strategy and executing it with excellence on-going, in my time of need.
Have known Anton professionally for more than 15 years. Anton is the best in the business, treats his clients with respect and goes the extra mile. Cannot recommend Anton highly enough.
We have referred multiple clients over to Richardson Murray who have all had an amazing experience with Anton and Stephanie. They are both professional and have great communication. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a family lawyer.
I sat down with Anton and talked through my issues which were many and traumatic. He was thoughtful, compassionate, learned and swift, and he turned my life around almost overnight – something I never thought possible. He asked me to trust him and I did. He spoke of real life situations he had come across in his extensive years as a family lawyer which gave me hope and put me at ease. His swift action resolved my issues quickly and effectively, which was a great relief and of meaningful financial benefit.
I can not recommend Adrienne Peers more highly. I recently referred my partner to Richardson Murray Family Law, and Adrienne Peers was quick to respond, always helpful, catered to all of our needs and goes above and beyond in service! Absolutely incredible.
Highly recommend Anton Richardson at Richardson Murray to anyone with a family law matter. Anton makes time to listen & take on board the matter-at-hand with his clients, dealing with any issues or queries in a highly professional and timely manner. He is the best in the business and has a brilliant team working for him. Big thank you to Anton and the team!
Anton was my legal advisor for a difficult and prolonged case. During this stressful time he always gave sound professional advice, carried out my instructions in a timely manner and was honest, upfront, respectful and compassionate. Anton possesses a comprehensive knowledge of Family Law and extensive expertise in its implementation. I was extremely happy with my outcome. I highly recommend Anton, Stephanie and his team for any family law matters.
Anton is uniquely skilled at managing complex disputes and individual personalities. He truly cares about his clients. You could not be in safer hands. I transferred to Anton when I was at absolute rock bottom, more than 6 years and more than 10 hearings into my legal nightmare, with no end in sight. He asked me to trust him, which I initially found hard but as things progressed, it quickly became easier. In the end, he settled my case out of court. I ended up with everything that was important to me and my life back. The other side was almost equally satisfied. I never dared to dream that was possible. My only regret is that Anton was not my first lawyer. Just think of all the money I would have saved and more importantly, all those years of my life back.
I had a great experience with Stephanie and Rosie during a really tough time in my life. They were very caring, patient and wonderful to deal with. My matter was handled very professionally and efficiently. I would highly recommend them to anyone going through a separation.
I referred a friend of mine to Richardson Murray during a very difficult time in her life. Right from the very first phone call Stephanie and Brooke were so helpful and amazing. Words cant express how grateful we all are for their care, expertise and their fight for a positive outcome for my friend. I highly recommend Stephanie, Brooke and the rest of the team at Richardson Murray. They well and truly go above an beyond for their clients.
All of the staff at Richardson Murray are incredibly friendly. The calming and reflective space has been well thought out to set the tone for potentially anxious clients which in my opinion is nothing short of genius. I would firmly recommend Richardson Murray to anyone in need of a top quality family law firm! Thank you so very much.
I engaged the services of Anton Richardson of Richardson Murray earlier this year in regard to my settlement case. After knowing Anton professionally for over ten years, I was aware that he was regarded as one of the best family lawyers in South East Queensland. Throughout this journey I have been working with Anton assisted by Adrienne Peers. They are professional and extremely knowledgeable, whilst showing a great deal of understanding and compassion.
The Law is your (Carlu) passion. And even though there are many unreasonable, clients and people with whom you will meet along the way your passion will shine through. You have a gift Carlu and I was very lucky and happy to have you as My Counsel. It has been my privilege to be your client and thank you for everything you have accomplished for me.
You really care for your clients and how they cope and manage the stress of the process. Family Law is highly emotional and mentally exhausting for all parties and you provided not only the law but brought caring, empathy and compassion to the process.
Your (Carlu) ability to explain the law, procedures and options in a simple clear and uncomplicated way gave me confidence and confirmed I had made the right choice 3 years ago. I admired the fact you didn’t play lawyer games and your goal was to obtain a fair settlement, keeping costs to a minimum. You were always honest and upfront with me which I always appreciated.
Dear Carlu, in the field of Family Law I think you are exceptional. Thank you for your amazing help with my case over the past 3 years. Your name was on a short list of recommended lawyers and from our very first conversation. I was impressed with your friendly, positive and enthusiastic approach.After 3 years, my admiration for you has only grown, I'm TOTALLY impressed.
"Anton made a very difficult, stressful and emotional time more manageable because I always felt reassured that he was acting efficiently and expeditiously in my best interests and that of my family."
“Thanks Brooke, really appreciate all the work you guys have done for me. It was all very easy and you made the process really manageable."
“Nothing at all, a very small thank you for all of your hard work (Brooke Mallard), attention to detail and patience with me. I’m so thrilled. I never expected it to work out so well."
"I cannot recommend Anton Richardson highly enough. At the time a large Brisbane Family Law firm were representing me however 3 years into the matter I had spent a significant sum of money on fees, was no closer to a resolution and had lost faith in their ability to act in my or my children’s best interests."
"He was on top of the matter from day 1. He did not accept tardiness or lose track of where the matter was at. At all times he was working towards resolving the matter. Anton’s other point of difference is his ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE, interpret their motivating factors and then use that to the client’s advantage to achieve the client’s aims."
"Before I met Anton, I had been to three different lawyers about my property dispute and not one of them talked and treated me like Anton did with minimal stress and he also told me exactly the plan and what to expect. My costs were far less than what my ex incurred with her lawyer."
"I would like to thank Anton for his assistance during a recent family law matter. Anton & his team gave me a clear indication of how the case would work & the outcome I could expect. The end result was far better than I had budgeted for & the advice given to me, saved me from a potentially messy court case."
"The other side were very aggressive and filed an application in court seeking a very high percentage. From the outset Anton quickly put them in their place and ultimately, they settled for a fraction of what they were asking the court to order. I am of the view that Anton was very professional, firm but polite in his dealings with the other side and had a terrific rapport with the court due to his sensible approach. He achieved an exceptional outcome for me."
Your Questions Answered
Talk To UsAre there time limits on any family law proceedings?
Grounds for Divorce in Australia
In the Australia the ground for a Divorce, is the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage. The evidence required is to demonstrate that the parties to the marriage have lived separately and apart for twelve (12) months and one (1) day.
It should be noted that in exceptional circumstances, parties can resume cohabitation for a period of up to three (3) months. Also, parties can be separated but still reside in one residence, or ‘under one roof’. The party alleging the separation will likely need to provide evidence as to why the parties continued to live ‘under one roof’ and corroboration that the parties were in fact separated during that time. This is normally done by a witness, other than the parties to the marriage giving evidence.
If the marriage is less than two (2) years in duration, then a divorce application should not be filed without ‘leave’ (permission) of the Court having first been obtained, unless a certificate is filed with the application that the parties have explored reconciliation through counselling.
If there are children to the marriage under the age of eighteen (18), then the Court will want to be satisfied that proper arrangements, in all the circumstances have been made for the care, welfare and development of those children (except in exceptional circumstances).
Inheritance in Property Settlement Matters
You can read our blog here.
Superannuation and separation
You can read our blog here.
Assistance or further information
Family Relationship Advice Line
The Family Relationship Advice Line has a range of fact sheets and other information on family law services, including: children’s contact services; counselling; family dispute resolution; parenting orders program; post-separation cooperative parenting; and supporting children after separation.
Phone: 1800 050 321
Website: www.familyrelationships.gov.au
National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line
Phone: 1800 737 732
Website: www.1800respect.org.au
Police or ambulance
Call 000 at any time if you are worried about you or your children’s safety.
LifeLine
Phone: 131 114
Website: www.lifeline.org
Translating and interpreting
Phone to gain access to an interpreter in your own language.
Phone: 131 450
Website: www.tisnational.gov.au
Kids Help Line
Telephone counselling for children and young people.
Phone: 1800 551 800
Website: www.kidshelp.com.au
Australian Childhood Foundation
Counselling for children and young people affected by abuse.
Phone: 1800 176 453
Website: www.childhood.org.au
Relationships Australia
Support groups and counselling on relationships, and for abusive and abused partners.
Phone: 1300 364 277
Website: www.relationships.com.au
Our Place Online
An online forum for men and women who have suffered abuse in all its forms: psychological, verbal, physical, sexual, and spiritual abuse. The forum is run by a community of volunteers all over the world. Our Place aims to help educate and support those wishing to heal from the damage done.
Website: www.our-place-online.net