Family Law in Australia

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Introduction

Australian family law is a federal jurisdiction, derived from the Commonwealth’s constitutional powers over marriage (s 51(xxi)) and matrimonial causes (s 51(xxii)). The principal statute is the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), which has governed divorce, parenting, and financial matters for over half a century. The Act introduced a revolutionary no-fault divorce system, abolished the old common law actions for criminal conversation and restitution of conjugal rights, and established the Family Court of Australia — now merged into the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) following the 2021 amalgamation. Family law in Australia also encompasses child support, de facto relationship breakdown, and international family law, each governed by its own legislative framework.

Family Law on ExcellentWiki - Legal Encyclopedia

Family Law in Australia

Introduction