Our trusted family lawyers in Grange prioritise your well-being and success, ensuring that you achieve peace of mind in all your family legal matters.
Dealing with family law can be a complicated experience, especially concerning divorce, custody battles, and financial disputes. Not only do these situations require legal expertise, but they can also take a toll on our emotional wellbeing.
We understand the stress and anxiety of these challenges, and we want you to know that we are here to support you.
We recognise the profound impact these disputes can have on your life and the lives of your loved ones, and we are committed to showing empathy and understanding throughout the process.
Some people deal with the hardship of trying to pursue a divorce in their spouse’s absence. Normally, the Court requires that the respondent in a divorce application is informed of your intentions.
If you don’t know their whereabouts, the process can become more complicated. Our experienced team can help you with matters like the service of divorce documentation and counselling requirements.
Your former partner may choose to disrupt your application in various ways. They may not to attend mandatory mediation or counselling sessions or refuse to accept service of the divorce papers. This is an emotionally challenging situation to deal with when you are trying to move on with your life.
It’s vital to understand that you don’t need your spouse’s permission to get a divorce. Our team can help you seek alternative service methods or apply to the Court to resolve mediation impasses.
When settling property matters, both parties must fully disclose their financial position to ensure a fair asset division. Sometimes, a party may seek to hide assets for many reasons. They may not want the assets to be included in a settlement, or they may not want the other party to access the asset’s full value. This kind of financial fraud can be difficult to discover.
However, if you suspect your spouse of hiding assets, we can help. We partner with other professionals such as forensic accountants to track down hidden assets and ensure they are valued appropriately.
Some people have a limited ability to contribute financially to a marriage. This may be because of circumstances like giving up a career to prioritise care for the home and children. Clients are sometimes concerned that this will limit their entitlement in a property settlement.
However, there are many ways to contribute non-financially to a marriage. Our Brisbane family law solicitors will ensure that the full value of your contributions is understood.
Co-parenting can be fraught with difficulties. When establishing parenting arrangements, it’s critical to keep your children’s best interests at heart. Many couples draft a parenting plan to clarify each parent’s rights and responsibilities for their children. However, these plans aren’t legally enforceable, which means the Court cannot uphold the agreed-upon visitation.
Our family lawyers in Brisbane can help make official plans for how children will be taken care of after a separation.
Co-parents should try to organise parenting plans amicably as much as possible. This can be easier said than done. Sometimes, parents are deeply divided about what they feel is in their children’s best interests.
Our Brisbane family law lawyers are experienced in handling parenting mediation. We can negotiate on your and your children’s behalf to ensure you can come to an agreement that’s beneficial to everyone. If an agreement isn’t possible, we will assist you with applying for parenting orders to resolve the disagreement.
At Andrews Family Lawyers, we provide outstanding family law services to the Grange community. Our team of empathetic and skilled family lawyers is prepared to assist you.
Andrews Family Lawyers has been committed to assisting individuals with family law challenges since 2013. Our expert family lawyers in Brisbane specialise in resolving complex divorce cases, custody disputes, and financial disagreements, ensuring a smoother process for our clients.
Our goal is to help people with tough legal problems, so they don’t have to worry as much about their feelings or money. We want to make things a little easier during hard times.
Peter is a qualified legal practitioner with over twenty years of experience, predominantly in family law. Peter began his career with Clayton Utz before moving into suburban practice in 2007 with a focus on family law settlements.
Peter began his practice, Peter Andrews Lawyer Pty Ltd, in 2013. After many years of success, the business was rebranded Andrews Family Lawyers in 2022.
Peter is a married father of three young, intelligent and often annoying children who are still lovely.
We understand that every family is unique, and so are their legal needs. At Andrews Family Lawyers, you’re not just another case number. We take the time to get to know you and tailor our services to your situation.
As a family law solicitors, we specialise exclusively in family law. This focus lets us stay ahead of legal trends and changes, ensuring you receive the most up-to-date and effective representation.
We’re not just here to provide legal advice; we’re here to offer emotional support and guidance. Our team is trained to help you navigate the emotional complexities of family law issues.
We believe in open and honest communication. From fees to legal processes, we ensure that you’re fully informed every step of the way.
Your wellbeing is our top priority. We’re committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients, even if that means going the extra mile or thinking outside the box.
Our success stories speak for themselves. We’ve helped countless families find justice and peace, and we’re confident we can do the same for you.
Thank you, Peter from Andrews Family Lawyers, it was a pleasure dealing with you. A no complication to the point settlement. Your open and honest demeanor helped my ex-partner and I to expediently resolve our financial situation so we can move forward with our lives. Once again thank you.
Client
I am Currently in the middle of my Family Law dispute. Which until now has been very messy and difficult.
Peter has been nothing but supportive honest & exceptional as a professional and has managed my situation brilliantly even managing me as a difficult client. 😂
I cannot recommend him or his team highly enough and have total confidence in Him getting me a fair outcome. If I could give him 6 stars I truly would
Client
Excellent service, compassion and understanding. Peter ensured I was fully informed on procedures and requirements involved in my case. He is open and honest and had my best interests in the matter. I can highly recommend Peter.
Client
Peter was amazing with me in my case, especially because I was living a very tough time in my life! He were human, honest, he gave me all the informations and legal advices that I needed! Honestly I’m so glad that I found him and his team! Thank you very much!!!!
Client
Peter was super helpful with all of my legal needs. Super affordable and has a wealth of knowledge to assist with my marriage split. Definitely recommend him to family and friends.
Client
I’m 31 and have never had a lawyer. Peter Andrews Walked me through all the legal proceedings with my divorce and it was all resolved very quickly and very simply. He had an established relationship with the other lawyer group in the matter which made it a very smooth process. He answered all the questions i had. I would recommend Mr Andrews to anyone! Fantastic communication and flexible with availability.
Client
Searching for legal support and guidance for your family law matter? Contact Andrews Family Lawyers today.
Secure peace of mind in family legal matters with Andrews Family Lawyers in Grange, where expert guidance and compassionate support await.
There is no specific limit written into the law as to how far a parent can relocate. However, there are laws about moving with children that apply even with no court orders in place.
If you and the other parent share equal responsibility for your children, you must talk to each other and try to agree on major long-term decisions that will affect them.
If you want to move with children, you must make a genuine effort to try and sort out an arrangement you and the other parent agree with, and this may require family dispute resolution or permission from the court.
It is essential to have an experienced family lawyer represent you in this process to ensure you achieve a fair outcome. So, what are the benefits of having a family lawyer by your side?
An expedited resolution process – Engaging a professional child custody lawyer will ensure an efficient resolution. We have extensive experience in understanding the complexity of family law and expertise in fulfilling all the legal formalities required by the court.
Expertise and experience – You may be concerned that engaging a lawyer may hurt an amicable relationship and result in going to court. All child custody cases go through family dispute resolution, which helps reduce legal and court costs.
Objective and honest advice – A family lawyer can provide an impartial advocate, weighing the facts and helping you make decisions and understand your rights while minimising the emotional stress and heartache.
For more information on how our child custody lawyers can help you with your parenting dispute resolution and arrangements, book a complimentary consultation today.
Divorce is the official ending of a marriage. It’s a common misconception that divorce includes all aspects of separating when it is just the process of terminating the marital relationship of a couple. Below are the key steps to applying for a divorce in Australia:
Step 1 – Separation. The only legal requirement for getting a divorce is the ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of the Marriage—proven by the husband and wife being separated for 12 months with no likelihood of getting back together. When applying for a divorce, your partner doesn’t have to agree, and the law doesn’t decide who is at ‘fault’ for the marriage breakdown.
Step 2 – You will need proof of Marriage. This is usually done with a marriage certificate. If it is in a language other than English, it must be transcribed. However, if you don’t have a marriage certificate, then our divorce law experts can assist you in securing one.
Step 3 – You must apply to the Federal Circuit Court for a divorce. You can use them together in a ‘joint application’, or one person may apply with a ‘sole application. Our separation and divorce experts will ensure you file a quick and accurate application.
Step 4 – If making a sole application, you must ‘serve’ the other person with the application—this means giving the other person the divorce paperwork so they know about the court proceedings. You must complete certain forms proving the other person has been ‘served’. You can’t serve your former partner personally, but you can by mail. We can also arrange a third-party server to serve documents on your behalf.
Step 5 – Wait to hear if you will be required to attend court; this will depend on whether the application is joint or sole and whether you have children under 18.
At the end of most relationships, it will be necessary to formalise the rights and entitlements of each party to sever all financial relationships between you and safeguard future property. Contrary to popular belief, you are not automatically entitled to a 50/50 split of assets. We take you through the process to determine legally who is entitled to what, how to get what you are entitled to, and the likely legal costs involved to settle your matter quickly and correctly. Time limits apply to property settlements, so starting this process as soon as possible can avoid unnecessary stress.
The length of this process varies depending on the circumstances, and if possible, we try to keep the property settlement out of court. Litigation is expensive, time-consuming and can put unnecessary pressure on already strained relationships. We are experienced in moving this process along as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Yes, we offer legal advice on a wide range of family law issues. Whether you need guidance on divorce, child custody, property settlements, or any other family law matter, our team is here to help.
It isn’t easy to estimate how much it will cost to litigate a matter, as many variables can influence cost. Generally, if the relationship between parties is amicable, it is much easier and quicker to finalise a property and parenting settlement.
If numerous issues are disputed, this necessitates a more extended negotiation period. In these circumstances, entering the court system is often required to get a resolution.
Costs usually increase the more complex a matter is, as the solicitor needs more time to review materials to ensure they understand the relevant issues.
Other factors that can impact legal costs include the length of negotiation required, the volume and complexity of the asset and liability pool, whether the other party is self-represented or engages their legal representative, whether there are children involved and whether the parties arrive with a willingness to resolve the matter genuinely.
At Andrews Family Lawyers, we offer an initial phone consultation with a solicitor of up to 20 minutes at no cost to you. If you prefer an in-person meeting, you can attend our Grange office. Initial in-person consultations are charged at a reduced fixed rate of $330, including GST, for up to one hour.
If you choose to engage us formally, we will send you engagement documents that contain a complete fee estimate broken down by potential stages.
Unfortunately, because we are a small specialist practice, we cannot take on Legal Aid work now.
You are always welcome to call us to discuss your matter and help us better understand your financial circumstances.
In many cases, former partners can resolve their property or parenting settlement by mutual agreement outside of court, but still by the Family Law Act with a consent order or Financial Agreement. In some cases, however, one may not be recommended. Suppose both parties cannot agree on the division of assets. In that case, if there is unequal bargaining power or one party is being unjust and inequitable, it’s recommended that a consent order is filed in court. A consent order is where both parties agree on the terms, and it is put before a registrar to seal, making it a court order.
Even if you can reach an agreement with your former partner, a qualified family lawyer must read over it, firstly to ensure it is accurate and will be accepted by the court to make it legal, and secondly to ensure you receive what you are entitled to. Both consent orders and Financial Agreements are legally binding on both parties. However, it is easier to enforce consent orders than financial agreements, as breaching court orders can have serious consequences.
We offer fixed fee drafting and filing of consent orders so you know exactly how much you will need to pay and have confidence that the charges will be drafted and approved quickly. Contact us for a no-obligation, no-fee initial consultation to discuss your circumstances and how we can help resolve your asset division and let you move on as quickly as possible.
The law presumes parental responsibility should be shared equally unless it is found this is not in the best interests of the child. There are some rare cases where full custody is granted to one parent or guardian, usually under extraordinarily abnormal circumstances.
If the court hears a case, the court will consider each parent’s behaviour, so unless there is violence, abuse or similar present, in most cases, both parents would be granted shared custody. However, this does not equate to shared time with the child. It is expected to have shared custody of a child who lives with one parent.
