Who pays for a divorce in Australia is generally each party pays their own costs, because divorce itself is relatively inexpensive and separate from property and parenting disputes. Filing fee for Application for Divorce in Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia is $1,060 in 2024-2025, or $365 with concession for health care card holders, and this fee is paid by applicant, if joint application both share cost. If you hire lawyer to file divorce, lawyer charges $1,000 to $2,500 for simple divorce, which you pay yourself. Court does not usually order other party to pay divorce costs, each pays own. If divorce is contested, for example other party disputes separation date or service, there may be extra hearing costs, each still pays own. For property settlement and parenting orders, which are separate from divorce, each party generally pays own legal costs unless one party has been unreasonable or court orders costs, which is rare in family law because court follows no costs rule, meaning each pays own unless exceptional circumstances like failure to disclose or abuse of process, then court may order one party to pay other's costs. Legal Aid may cover divorce for low income. If you cannot afford filing fee, you can apply for fee reduction. So for simple divorce, applicant pays $1,060 filing fee plus any lawyer fee, other party pays nothing unless they hire own lawyer.
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