News & Resources

Who has the right to change the locks on the house after separation?
Even in circumstances where a party has been temporarily residing elsewhere during separation, the changing of the locks can come as somewhat of a shock. If a client contacts us in this scenario often the first question that they will ask is:

“Who has the right to change the locks to the family home?”

Domestic Financial abuse is a form of family violence in which one partner attempts to exercise power and control over their spouse by limiting their access to finances and dictating the terms on which money is to be spent. It often happens alongside other types of domestic violence, such as physical or emotional abuse.

The High Court has recently overturned a decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in relation to the entitlements of employees to personal leave.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to give consideration to incorporating clauses in contracts to cover situations where supply chains may be impacted and/or restrictions are imposed on a party to a contract which may prevent them from being able to perform their obligations under the contract.

Read the Solari & Stock Newsletter – September 2020 here….

Do All Family Law Matters Have To Go To Court?

Short answer is no!

Statistics show that approximately 85% of family law disputes are resolved without the Court being required to make any decision. In other words, people have been able to reach agreement between themselves and have only used the Court services to formalise that agreement by filing their Consent Orders
Further, of the cases that are filed with the Court for determination, only approximately 2% of those cases actually proceed to a final determination by a Judge. The remaining 13% of cases are settled after the case has been filed in Court but before final determination by a Judge.


After separation some people may choose to divide their assets without a lawyer, and understandably they are commonly motivated to save money and avoid the litigious process. However, people can run into problems and they typically fall into one of two categories:

How are de facto relationships dealt with?
This can be an issue when the deceased did not write a will clearly expressing their intentions towards family and friends. A de facto spouse may have to first prove that they were, indeed, the de facto partner of the deceased.

A recent Queensland case highlighted the dangers of undertaking your own estate planning and preparing a do it yourself will. A couple married in 1984. They both had children from previous relationships but did not have any children together. They prepared a joint will at…

How do I work out what is best for my children now that we have separated?
The answer to this question will largely depend upon the client’s and the children’s individual circumstances. We advise clients that it is much better if Parents can decide between themselves about what is best for their children, moving forward, without the need to revert to court proceedings.