Is Christmas or ‘Christmess’ really the happiest time of the year? Did you know it coincides with Mercury retrograde?!
Mercury is the planet of communication and is believed by some to create turbulence in our relationships. Astrology aside, the holiday season can be a challenging time for some.
For those reevaluating commitments or contemplating separation, the holiday season can be difficult to navigate. Future aspirations are typically front of mind around New Years Eve with some people asking themselves:
Does my relationship meet my expectations, values and longer-term goals?
For separated families it can be a time of stress and conflict if your parenting arrangements for Christmas, New Year and the long summer vacation have not been agreed on, or are not subject to Court Orders, especially if one of you have family overseas.
Having the right advice and support is important and we can assist in the following ways:
- Initial advice about the separation process, likely property entitlements and/or issues to consider in relation to parenting arrangements
- Referrals to Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) (not all FDR services are created equal!)
- Advice in relation to international aspects of parenting and/or property matters
- Negotiating, drafting or varying a parenting plan or parenting orders
- Negotiating and/or drafting consent orders or a financial agreement to document the division of assets
- Preparing a court application if an agreement cannot be reached (in our experience, less than 5% of cases are finally determined by the Court).
Except in limited circumstances, before you commence proceedings, you are required to make enquiries about available Family Dispute Resolution Services and invite the other party to participate. If an agreement is not reached, a certificate known as a Section 60I Certificate, is issued. This certificate must be filed with your application.
Contact our team for assistance 03 8602 2000 or +61 429 551 583 (emergency helpline)
