If you have a family law dispute that you are contemplating filing (or have recently filed) then you should take note of when the Family Court of Australia and Federal Circuit Court are sitting over the Christmas / New Year period (other than for emergent circumstances).
According to the Federal Circuit Court website, Albury, Alice Springs, Cairns, Canberra, Dandenong, Darwin, Dubbo, Hobart, Launceston, Lismore, Newcastle, Parramatta, Rockhampton, Townsville, Wollongong and the National Support Office will be closed from:
Wednesday 25 December 2013
and will re-open on
Tuesday 7 January 2014.
During this time, phone calls to these registries will be re-directed to:
NATIONAL ENQUIRY CENTRE
Phone: 1300 352 000
Email: enquiries@familylawcourts.gov.au
TTY/voice calls: 133 677 (National Relay Service)
Speak & Listen Calls: 1300 555 727
Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and the National Enquiry Centre will be operate with minimum staff throughout the period with the exception of the following public holidays:
Wednesday 25 December 2013
Thursday 26 December 2013
Friday 27 December 2013
Wednesday 1 January 2014
Likewise, many Brisbane and Gold Coast Lawyers close their offices from approximately 20 December 2013 until around 2 January 2014. Some will function on reduced capacity until a little later in January but you should make enquiries of when your lawyer will be available to handle any matters arising in your dispute over the break.
Affirmative Mediations, however, will continue to operate save for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. If you require assistance resolving a dispute with a degree of urgency click here.
