At its core lies family law orders, guiding decisions on child custody, financial support, and property division.

In this guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of both parenting and property orders, shedding light on their interim and final distinctions.

When Family Conflicts Arise

Many concerns arise when family relationships are strained, and separation or divorce are on the horizon. Who will the children stay with? How will properties and assets be divided? How do you address immediate financial worries?

Through family law orders, the Australian legal framework offers a structured pathway to address these issues, categorized primarily as parenting and property orders.

Interim Orders: Addressing Immediate Concerns

In family law, an interim order is a temporary decree issued by the Family Court to address immediate and pressing concerns during ongoing legal proceedings. These orders remain in place until the court finalizes the matter or replaces them with final orders. They ensure that urgent needs related to child custody or financial issues are catered to while the more extensive legal process unfolds.

Interim Parenting Order: Why Do You Need Them?

In the unsettling phase leading up to a finalized legal separation or divorce, children’s immediate well-being often becomes a paramount concern.

Here are several reasons emphasizing the necessity of interim parenting orders:

• Immediate Safety

Situations might arise when one parent’s environment is no longer safe for the child. This can be due to allegations of abuse, addiction, or neglect. In such cases, interim parenting orders can ensure the child’s safety by temporarily allocating custody to the other parent.

A parent can file for an interim parenting order or ask the help of a family lawyer to subject the other parent to a drug test, ask for a restraining order, or appoint an independent child lawyer (ICL) to reduce any potential harm to their children.

• Stability In Routine

Children thrive on routine and predictability. Amidst the turmoil of separation, their daily routines—including school, extracurricular activities, and time with friends—can be disrupted.

Interim orders provide a temporary structure, offering a semblance of normalcy in tumultuous times. Anyone with parental responsibility can use an interim order to prevent the other party from drastically changing a child’s routine.

• Preventing Parental Abduction

In highly contentious separations, there might be fears or threats that one parent could take the child and leave without the other’s consent. Interim orders can address and prevent drastic actions such as relocating within the country or travelling overseas.

An interim parenting order can also recover a child from a parent. It can return the child to the parent or any person awarded by the court with parental responsibility.

• Facilitating Communication

Separation can sometimes lead to breakdowns in communication between parents. Interim orders can detail communication guidelines, ensuring parents remain involved in their child’s life and make joint decisions concerning their welfare.

• Peace Of Mind

Although temporary, knowing a legal decree can provide both parents clarity and peace of mind. It eliminates the uncertainties and offers a framework until the final orders come into play.

While children’s safety and welfare are paramount, there’s also an urgent need to address the financial concerns that come with a pending separation or divorce. This brings us to the realm of interim property orders.

Interim Property Orders

The process of seeking interim property orders is critical in ensuring assets and finances are protected and appropriately managed during the temporary phase before final property orders are determined.

There are several reasons parties seek interim property orders, such as:

• Protecting Assets: There might be concerns about one party squandering, hiding, or intentionally devaluing share assets.
• Meeting Financial Needs: For instance, one party might need funds for legal representation or to meet essential living costs, especially if they are financially dependent.
• Managing Joint Liabilities: This could involve servicing joint loans or paying off shared debts.

Interim property orders prevent financial misconduct and ensure both parties continue to meet joint financial obligations. In addition, they also help maintain stability in economic and parental situations until a more permanent solution is determined.

Obtaining Interim Parenting Orders

While both types of interim orders share common steps like filing an application to the Family Court, supporting with an affidavit, and attending a court hearing, the nature of evidence and specific measures can differ due to the distinct concerns they address.

Supporting documents for an interim parenting order include:

• Family Dispute Resolution Certificate: The mediator will issue a certificate showing the attempt is unsuccessful or unsuitable.
• Notice Of Risk: Applicable when there are child abuse or family violence concerns.
• Parenting Plan: A previously written agreement can provide the court with insights into previous arrangements between the parties.
• Reports From Professionals: This includes information from child psychologists, counsellors, or other relevant professionals that shed light on the child’s well-being and suitable parenting arrangements.
• Police Reports or AVOs: Relevant police reports or active Apprehended Violence Orders that record family violence or child abuse incidents may be submitted as evidence.

Getting An Interim Property Order

When seeking an interim property order in the Australian family context, the court requires supporting documents to understand the financial landscape and decide on the appropriate division or protection of assets during the interim period.

Here are supporting documents and their relevance:

• Supporting Affidavit: This sworn or affirmed statement details the property in question, its value, and its significance. This can also provide evidence of incidents supporting a claim for hiding, devaluing, or wasting assets. The affidavit can also highlight financial needs or risks, such as imminent foreclosure on a shared property or the urgent need for funds.
• Financial Statement: This crucial document gives a comprehensive view of your current financial status, including your assets, liabilities, income, and expenditures. It provides the court with a snapshot of your economic situation.
• Valuation Reports: Accredited professionals can assess the value of properties, businesses, antiques, or other assets.
• Bank Statements: Show the current status of shared or individual bank accounts, including recent withdrawals or transactions.
• Loan Documents: Details of joint or individual loans, mortgages, or credit agreements, including amount owed and repayment schedules.
• Tax Returns and Pay Slips: These provide evidence of income and can be pivotal if there are concerns about one party not disclosing their entire earnings.
• Business Financial Records: If either party operates a business, its financial statements, profit/loss reports, and balance reports may be relevant.
• Insurance Policies: Details of insurance policies can provide insights into their value and significance.
• Evidence Of Financial Misconduct: If you’re alleging that the other party is hiding assets, spending recklessly, or committing financial fraud, any evidence supporting these claims should be provided.

Remember that the supporting documents you submit to the family court will impact the outcome of your interim hearing. They can convince the judge to grant your request, or it can lead to the court deciding on a more suitable arrangement for you and all parties concerned.  

While interim orders address your children’s current and immediate needs and finances, they can also serve as a springboard for final parenting and property orders. This is especially true if the interim arrangements have worked well for all parties involved.

Final Parenting Orders

After the interim phase, final parenting orders offer a long-term solution to the parenting arrangements. They can be established in two ways:

• By Consent

When both parties agree about parenting arrangements, they can formalize this through consent orders. This process can save both time and emotional strain.

• By Court Decision

If parties can’t agree, the matter might proceed to a hearing or trial. The court will decide based on the child’s interests. This can be a longer and more emotionally taxing process. Representation from Perth divorce lawyers or a reputable family attorney ensures your case presentation is seamless and your child’s welfare remains paramount.

In either case, the aim is to achieve a stable and beneficial environment for your child. Final parenting orders consider the child’s needs, the parent’s capabilities, and other relevant factors. These orders address various matters such as living arrangements, education decisions, health care, and religious upbringing.

Final Property Orders

Final property orders aim to settle the division and allocation of assets between parties following the relationship breakdown. Unlike interim property orders, final property orders provide a long-term resolution.

The court will determine asset division based on all relevant factors, including each party’s financial contributions, future needs, and the overall fairness of the settlement. This covers real estate, investments, superannuation, and other assets. It’s important to note that these orders aren’t just based on monetary contributions as they also consider non-financial inputs, including homemaking and caregiving.

In cases where couples do not agree, divorce lawyers can make these proceedings easier. They ensure all assets and liabilities are disclosed, adequately valued, and equitably divided between parties. In contrast, couples who agree outside of court on dividing their assets can formalize their agreement through consent orders.

Enforcing Interim And Final Family Law Orders

Whether temporary or final, parenting and property orders are enforced once the court issues them. It’s vital to adhere to these orders, as they pave the way for better relationships after separation or divorce. They also serve as crucial steps to ensure children’s emotional resilience.

Conversely, breaches in parenting orders can lead to legal consequences and strained family ties. On the property front, violations can risk assets or lead to legal penalties. Non-compliance may even be the basis for modifying existing parenting or property orders.

Can Family Law Orders Change?

Family law orders, whether they pertain to parenting or property, are made with the available information at the time and aim to serve the parties’ best interests. However, circumstances change, and the law recognizes that the arrangements may also need to adapt.

Parenting orders are enforceable from the time the court decides until the child reaches the age of 18. But when changes in the child’s health or concerns about the child’s safety arise, the court will allow changes to protect the child’s welfare.

Unfortunately, property orders are not as flexible as parenting orders. While they are generally final, there are rare instances when the court will alter the orders. Examples of these situations include non-disclosure of assets or allegations of fraud.

If both parties agree to the changes and they reflect the child’s best interest, the court will accept them as consent orders and will not require a formal hearing. Should one party disagree with the changes, the party seeking the modification must demonstrate that there has been a significant change since the original order was made.

Conclusion

Family law orders, whether final or temporary, aim to safeguard individuals during challenging times. They provide immediate relief and long-term solutions for everyone involved. Navigating these legal orders can be daunting but often necessary to uphold the child’s best interests and ensure financial stability for both parties now and in the future.