New Court Name for Family Law

From 12 April 2013 the Federal Magistrates Court will be known as the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, writes TGB’s Jane Miller.

This is a change in name only, and users of the Court will see only discrete differences in the way the Court operates.

The following changes of note will take effect:

1. After 12 October 2013 it will be necessary for any forms filed in the Court to be those branded with the Court’s new name. Until then, the Court will allow a grace period whereby forms branded “Federal Magistrates Court” may continue to be used;

2. Those judicial officers who held the title “Federal Magistrate”  under the previous Court name will now be known as “Judge”. When in the courtroom, they should be referred to as “Your Honour” or “Judge”;

3. The new website domain for the Court is www.federalcircuitcourt.gov.au.

The Court will continue to hold jurisdiction to hear matters relating to family law, child support, administrative law, admiralty law, bankruptcy, migration, consumer law, industrial law, intellectual property and privacy law.

The Federal Circuit Court will be responsible for the bulk of family law work (as it was under its previous name), and not the Family Court of Australia.

The Family Court of Australia acts primarily as a court of appeal from the Federal Circuit Court, and only determines family law matters in the first instance of substantial complexity.

Australia wide in the financial year 2011/12, there were 17,733 matters filed in the Family Court, compared to 85,549 family law matters filed in the Federal Magistrates Court (as it was then known).

TGB is South Australia’s largest family law firm. For family law advice in South Australia or Western Australia please contact (08) 8212 1077.