Family Law

Family Law

Family Law Services on the Central Coast

Most people want the best outcomes with their Central Coast family law matter. If there are children involved, every parent wants to do what’s best for their kids, preferably without having to go court.

As a family law specialist, the welfare of children is also Katie Smith’s number one priority. Most people also want to achieve a fair and equitable property settlement and establish their future financial security.

We make every effort possible to avoid the financial and emotional costs of taking your family law matter to court.

Finding an Amicable Solution With the Help of Your Family Lawyer.

The first step is to try to attempt to reach agreement between the separating parents in relation to the future living arrangements and upbringing of their children – currently referred to as live with/spend time with arrangements (where the ‘live with’ parent is the parent the children reside with most of the time). Knowing where you stand is crucial here. Katie Smith will ensure you are fully prepared before you enter into any negotiation.

Mediation

Where agreement cannot be reached in an amicable way, mediation is the next step in the family law proceedings. Mediation is required by law today for all matters where children are involved and the parties are unable to reach agreement about the future living arrangements and other matters relating to the raising of their children. An independent third party mediator assists separating and divorcing couples reach agreement on the most suitable solution for all concerned with a focus firmly on the best interests of the children.

Katie is FDRP and conducts mediations. Katie is the ideal person to provide advice to and represent you at any mediation

Court Proceedings

While most cases can be resolved outside the court system, should you find yourself engaged in court proceedings, Katie Smith has the experience, skills and knowledge to represent you and your children in the best way possible in order to achieve what’s best for the children and your desired outcome.

Katie is familar with and appears regulary in both the family court and federal circuit court of Australia

Katie is also a independent childrens lawyer where she is appointed by the court to represent childeren in contested parenting matters.

Establishing Your Financial Future

An important part of any family law matter is the establishment of financial security for you and your family following a separation or divorce. The difference between sound legal information and trying to achieve a fair and equitable property settlement on your own could be the difference between moving forward with confidence and not receiving what you are entitled to.

There is more to a family law financial settlement than the division of bricks and mortar assets. There may be one or more businesses involved (from micro businesses to complex corporate structures), shares, superannuation, motor vehicles, child maintenance, funds held in bank accounts etc. There’s also the division of debt to consider.

Financial Mediation

Mediation can be used to assist parties reach agreement on financial matters. If you choose the mediation path, it is advisable to see Katie before the mediation takes place to ensure you understand your rights and come to the meeting armed with the facts.

Getting the right advice early can make a dramatic difference to the outcome of your family law matter. Even if you are just thinking about commencing separation or divorce proceedings, contact us today to find out your rights, where you stand and the best way forward to suit your personal situation and protect your family’s wellbeing.