‘Paddy’ Paddy is Rebecca’s Rottweiler X Shar-pei.  He will be 5 years old on the 1st of December this year. Paddy loves an early morning walk around Rebecca’s local neighbourhood smelling all the smells.  He is an excellent guard dog and does a wonderful job of scaring away unwanted guests who arrive at Rebecca’s house.  …

Continue reading “Getting to know us – Pets of Parry Coates”

These tarts are simple, but visually impressive, to serve as a lunchtime dish with friends accompanied by a beetroot salad or a plate of plump, ripe tomatoes.  It is the perfect dish for the spring, when local fresh asparagus is starting to appear in the markets. Although it can seem that anything to do with …

Continue reading “Recipe – Asparagus and Goats Cheese Tarts”

When couples separate, the main source of conflict in a family law dispute is often the house and the children.  But who gets to keep the dog (or other loved family pet) when a family is divided? According to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), pets are considered property in the same way as furniture, …

Continue reading “Who gets to keep the dog?”

The Full Court of the Family Court of Australia in the matter of Grady & Chilcott (2020) recently considered whether the de facto wife of an 8-year de facto relationship, was entitled to receive a property settlement from her former de facto husband. Whilst you might think that being in a relationship for a period …

Continue reading “We were in a de facto relationship, I’m entitled to half, aren’t I?”

Are property and assets split equally? When couples separate, the division of property, assets and liabilities is one of the main issues to be considered.  A common misconception surrounding this process is that everything is split 50/50. There is no rule in family law property matters stating that assets and property should be shared equally, …

Continue reading “Divorce in Australia – Who gets what?”

This ragu is one of Rebecca’s favourites.  It is all about coaxing the flavour from every ingredient through long, slow cooking.  The result is a super-tasty rich sauce to serve over polenta, gnocchi or any kind of pasta. This will be sure to warm you up on these chilly winter evenings of late. Ingredients 1/3 …

Continue reading “Recipe: Pork and Fennel Ragu*”

What is Child support? The Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 (Cth) imposes a duty on parents to financially maintain their children by way of “child support” payments. Child support is an ongoing payment made by one parent to another, to assist in financially caring for and supporting a child. A child is defined as a …

Continue reading “What is Child Support?”

Belinda is our superstar Administration Assistant, providing legal support to Rebecca and Candace as well as assisting Amy with management tasks as required. Belinda was new to the world of family law when she joined our team in late 2019, but brought with her an extensive background of administrative support.  Her daily tasks are crucial in ensuring …

Continue reading “Getting to Know Us: Belinda Staples”