Yes, you can get Legal Aid for family law in Australia for parenting disputes, divorce, property settlement, family violence and child support, but you must pass means test and merits test and priority guidelines. Legal Aid Commissions in each state, Legal Aid NSW, Victoria Legal Aid, Legal Aid Queensland, Legal Aid WA, provide family law services including free legal advice at Legal Aid offices and duty lawyer at Federal Circuit and Family Court, free Family Dispute Resolution mediation, and grants of aid for lawyer to represent you in court for parenting and property matters if you have low income and matter has merit. Means test is about $600 to $700 per week net for single, about $31K to $35K per year, and $1,100 to $1,200 for family with children, about $57K to $62K, plus assets test. Merits test requires reasonable prospects of success and that it is in child's best interests. Priority is given to matters involving family violence, child safety, urgent recovery orders, and where children are at risk, not just property disputes. You can get Legal Aid for divorce filing fee reduction, for parenting orders, for recovery orders if child abducted, for family violence protection orders, and for property settlement if small asset pool and domestic violence. Many family law matters are handled via community legal centres and Family Relationship Centres for free mediation. If you do not qualify for full grant, you can get free advice, duty lawyer at court on hearing day, and help with forms. So yes, Legal Aid covers family law, especially parenting and violence matters, apply via Legal Aid website.
1 votes
Marked as accepted