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Family Lawyer Sunshine Coast

Finding you a better life with our range of Sunshine Coast Family Law Services.

Specialists Family Lawyers

Understand the basics of family law before you hire a Sunshine Coast lawyer

There are plenty of choices when it comes to selecting a family lawyer. We want to help you understand some of the key differences you need to think about before hiring a lawyer. Before we do let’s first clarify exactly what is Australian family law.

Sunshine Coast Family Lawyers

Maroochydore Office

Our family law solicitors Sunshine Coast have many years of experience in dealing with all sorts of matters: divorce proceedings or applications and financial property settlements. We are an experienced team of family lawyers who can help negotiate terms between co-parents, all the while having a good understanding of Australian family law matters.

As leading Sunshine Coast-based family lawyers, we understand it is important that you find a solution that works best for your circumstances. By contacting a professional that has the skills and compassion to support you through your parenting, children’s matters or divorce ordeals, you increase your chances of a successful outcome. 

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What is Australian family law?

Local Sunshine Coast Family Law Explained

Family law is the legal framework or legal practice area that focuses on legal family law issues about family relationships, such as divorce, child support, property settlement, domestic violence and financial agreements. Lawyers who practice family law can represent their clients in family court proceedings as well as in negotiations between parties. An element of Family Law includes Family Violence, such as facing or taking out a domestic violence protection order. The Australian Family Law is found on the federal Family Law Act 1975 and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The law was substantially changed in 1975, which introduced several new laws. Before 1975, you were only able to proceed with a divorce if you could prove the other party was at fault as a consequence of the breakdown. 

Since the passing of the Family Law Act in 1975, no-fault divorce has been introduced. When considering divorce the law does not consider the reasons your marriage has ended, and you do not have to prove yourself. Instead, the only grounds for divorce is that the marriage has broken down and there is no reasonable chance the marriage can be reconciled.
Family law court maroochydore

Family Lawyer courts Sunshine Coast

Locations Maroochydore and Caloundra 

On the Sunshine Coast, they are based in Maroochydore and Caloundra and Brisbane at the Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Court. It is important to note the location of the family court as it’s not advisable to have your lawyers or Barrister located far away – it may cost you extra for their time to attend in person. The courts were created to decide on family matters such as custody of children and have evolved to hear all cases related to family and domestic relationships, from grandparents wanting to see their grandchildren to how relationship property is shared between parties. Application for protection orders is heard in the Magistrates House which is located in Maroochydore and Caloundra.

What does a Family lawyer do?

The Role of Family Law Specialists

A family lawyer is an admitted solicitor that helps family members navigate the legal problems they may encounter, from married or de-facto parties looking at separating and amicably settling their property settlement affairs with consent orders or binding financial agreements, a minor seeking a guardianship order or formalising child support arrangements. They will draft all the important legal documents such as court applications, affidavits, parenting plans and property orders. Some family lawyers specialise in specific areas of family law issues like adoption, paternity, guardianship, or other matters not usually related to divorce.

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5 Key Tips for Choosing the Best Family Law Firm

Do this before you engage a Sunshine Coast Solicitor

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1. Relationship Compatibility

Choosing a solicitor on the Sunshine Coast is probably the second most important decision you will make, after deciding to separate from your partner. A solicitor who is best suited to your situation will make a real difference both in the outcome of your separation and in how you navigate through this very emotional process. You want to work with a family law solicitor where you can build a trusting relationship – one who cares about your situation listens and gets you the results you deserve. Have you met them in person, did you feel comfortable or did something feel odd? Your initial meeting should feel relaxed and in all cases, they should be comforting and understanding to your situation. This is crucial, as you will need to make important decisions about domestic violence, child support, finances and property or support with general advice on taking relationship breaks through counselling and coaching services, not everything requires a lawyer.

2. Finding The Best Sunshine Coast Family Lawyers

When deciding which solicitor to work with, you need someone serious about your case, listens to your needs, and cares enough to want to help you achieve the best possible outcome. Most importantly, you want to hire someone who will stand by your side until your matter is concluded, not drop you halfway through because they’ve decided you won’t win. Understand the skills of the person you are hiring and ask questions about their qualifications and what cases they have managed in the last 5 years. Some lawyers are specialised and will only focus on one area. For example, have they managed court cases or child support cases before, is it something they practice regularly. If they start discussing the confidential matters of another case I would regard that as a red flag, proceed with caution.

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Shanahan Family Law Sole Application Divorce

3. Family Lawyers Being Addicted to Court

If you’re trying to save money, you want to partner with a legal expert who does everything possible to avoid a hearing in the Family Court. If you choose to partner with a hot-headed professional at courtroom appearances, you are likely going to end up financially and emotionally drained because I bet you’ll find yourself in court. Maybe all you need is good counselling or coaching for divorce services, or consider relationship breaks. Choose a legal representative who is calm and has an excellent track record (Googler Reviews), and who genuinely wants to do what is best for you and your family. You should aim to find a legal team that has a combination of family law experience. If you don’t find the right combination of skills, you will more than likely be subjected to a higher level of stress and spend more money than necessary. On the contrary, sometimes it’s impossible to avoid the legal system. In this case, you’ll need to find someone in family law who understands the process well and can deliver the results you deserve.

4. How can I save Costs?

A divorce can become expensive quite quickly if not managed well. After your first consultation, you should be able to get a clear idea of the cost. If you are price-sensitive, here are 11 tips that will help you save money when experiencing a divorce. However, don’t let price rule your whole decision-making process. A cheap lawyer may cost you a large amount of money, a mid-tier lawyer may save you some money, and a premium-priced lawyer is very likely to save you a lot of money. This is because these lawyers have the skills and experience to navigate you away from lengthy cases and ongoing communication back and forth regarding your case. If cost is still a barrier for you to receiving legal support, you might want to consider legal aid, which provides a form of financial support through government grants. If approved, you will be open to the same professional advice.

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5. Navigating stressful Law Cases

When two people decide to separate, it is stressful and both parties are generally more emotional. In these heightened states of emotions, people sometimes feel they want to inflict pain on the other party. Having an experienced l in your corner who is level-headed, grounded and has a moral compass to guide decisions is critical. In most cases, there are children to consider, which means the parties are going to be in each other’s lives for many years. Often, it is pertinent to take a long-term view of your family law matter. One way to understand more about your lawyers is to take the time to read their reviews. You can learn a lot from some of the comments on Facebook and Google.

Top 3 frequently asked questions about family law

Family Lawyer sunshine coast

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Useful Legal Family Law Matter Terms

Lawyer Sunshine Coast

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This describes a child (or an adult in tandem with a child) seeking an order from the state to place the welfare and care of the child with someone other than the child’s parents. This can also be achieved with a legal parenting order.
This covers not only a house or land but also superannuation, property settlements, and spousal maintenance. A consent order is a written, court-approved agreement that, when stamped by the court, obliges the parties to follow the terms stated in the document. A legal practitioner is pivotal in guiding this, though there are options for you to handle this on your own. Download property consent order form
Spousal maintenance or support is a financial amount payable by the other party from a marriage that earns a higher income than the other husband or wife (or ex-husband or wife). Spousal maintenance or support can sometimes cause a lot of friction and disharmony between the two parties. It is important to remember that spousal maintenance is not there for the ex-spouse but it is there for the children. It is

Parenting arrangements cover all the child care for your children’s matters. A consent order is a written court-approved agreement that when stamped by the court obliges the parties to follow the terms stated in the document. A consent order can include both parenting and property arrangements. A parenting plan differs from a parenting consent order as it is a written private arrangement between parents which is not a court-enforceable document.You can read more about de facto divorce here.

Parenting arrangements cover all the child care for your children’s matters. A consent order is a written, court-approved agreement that, when stamped by the court, obliges the parties to follow the terms stated in the document. A consent order can include both parenting and property arrangements. A parenting plan differs from a parenting consent order in that it is a written private arrangement between parents that is not a court-enforceable document.

Family Law Premium Services

Family Lawyer sunshine coast

Family law experts providing premium services with no exorbitant fees. A decade of experience in resolving family law divorce, domestic violence, child custody, financial agreements and property settlement matters. We always encourage negotiations. We’ll work to ensure the preservation of valuable assets. We give you advice on parenting and child abuse issues. We have a goal of supporting YOU.

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Shanahan Family Law Reception

Family Lawyer Near me

Shanahan Family Law listens, cares and gets results

We believe in caring and listening to our clients and have had a 98% success rate since 2009 for over 4,000 clients. We have made it our hallmark to be different and believe that our clients should not have to just “get through” their legal issues – they should move past them in a dignified and satisfied manner.

Family Law Frequently Asked Questions

What Shanahan Family Law customers are asking?

To help you understand more about your circumstances Shanahan Family Law have created some of the most common questions with these FAQ’s? 

This will depend on the lawyer that you decide to hire. Some lawyers charge by the hour, while others offer capped-rate services. Prices in Queensland can vary from a cheap $100 per hour to a seasoned, skilled lawyer charging $450 per hour or more. Before you consider hiring a lawyer to represent you, you should ask them how much they charge, and if they charge by the hour or offer a set fee for the services you require. You should feel comfortable asking questions about pricing. If you do not, it’s likely because the lawyer you’re asking isn’t comfortable either. You’ll have to ask the question, “Why is this the case?” Be direct and take your emotions out of it. Feel comfortable in the whole process and ask plenty of questions.

Try thinking differently and don’t focus too much on price. Ask yourself this question: which lawyer will produce results like we have with a 98% success rate? Another point to remember is that a skilled lawyer is more likely to save you money than have you spend more. You’re obviously doing your research by reading our FAQ’s, and reading some of our legal resources will help you make an informed decision. 

An experienced Sunshine Coast family lawyer brings with them not only a wealth of legal knowledge but also compassion and practical understanding. You need someone who will listen to you, take into account your needs as well as those of others, for your situation at hand, whether that would be a financial property settlement matter, domestic violence ordeal or an emotional parenting ordeal involving a child support matter.

Joint applications for divorce

Let's work together

Even a joint divorce application can be daunting, let alone when you’re considering filing for a divorce online. Perhaps you have questions about submitting your application to the courts, or you aren’t sure where to start. We’re here to help guide you through the process.

Interested in chatting more about a joint divorce application?

Download Our Free Divorce Guide

Get expert advice on navigating your divorce with ease and confidence.
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