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What is the difference between the Federal Magistrates Court and the Family Court of Australia?
The Federal Magistrates Court of Australia was established in 1999 to help relieve the overburden on the Family Court of Australia to provide a forum to hear less complex matters.
The Federal Magistrates Court deals exclusively with divorce applications. Both Courts are governed by the Family Law Act 1975 and can hear both parenting and property disputes, as well as matters under the Child Support Legislation. Appeals from a decision by a Federal Magistrate go to the Family Court of Australia.
All parenting matters initiated in the Family Court of Australia are now part of what is called the LAT, or Less Adversarial Trial.
See Family Law case examples on the Family Law blogsite
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