We are able to assist you to use the child support system and formula to calculate the amount of child support you are entitled to through the Department of Human Services. In the event that you would like to come to an agreement privately with your former spouse, we can help you understand and enter into a Binding Child Support Agreement or Limited Child Support Agreement.

Depending on the characteristics of your relationship, you may be entitled to receive or be required to pay spousal maintenance to your former partner. A party to a de facto or married relationship is liable to provide monetary support to the other if: one is unable to adequately meet his/her reasonable needs AND the other person has capacity to provide monetary support. Our family lawyers will be able to walk you through this process and determine if this is relevant to you.

At Stone Group Lawyers we hold a high level of experience in navigating matters involving children involved in abuse or suspected abuse. We can work alongside the Department of Communities and Child Safety to litigate and advocate to ensure that the child or children are not exposed to environments that are not in their best interests, and can ensure that they are placed with the appropriate carers. It is often the case that we can help grandparents or other extended family members get orders for the child or children to spend time or live with them.

We are able to help you in the event you wish to relocate with a child or you want to stop a former spouse from attempting to flee with your child either domestically or internationally. One of the main ways we can help you is by having the child’s name placed on the Federal Police watch list which will be placed at every airport in Australia, limiting the child from leaving the country. Relocating with a child is subject to some very strict laws, and if you are not compliant there can be serious consequences. We strongly suggest that if you are concerned that your child is at risk of being taken without your consent, please contact our office and one of our family lawyers will assist you.

We understand that your family situation may not be a typical mother and father situation and that there may be other people in the family you have interests in the children. If you believe that having a relationship with the children is in their best interests our family lawyers are able to help you enforce those rights and seek orders in your favour.

Often forgotten about, DNA testing is a very relevant area of family law that we can help you with. Having a DNA test can help you in a range of ways relevant to your family law matter such as:

• Ensuring that you are entitled to child support from another parent;
• To disprove any allegations you are a parent in the event child support is being sought from you; and
• To prove paternity relevant to any child matter you may have.

If you are unsure about this area, please contact our office and one of our family lawyers can help you.

At Stone Group Lawyers we can help you with your matter no matter how complex or unique it may be. Our family lawyers have experience in the following areas:

• Gambling and when one party wastes money;
• When one party has hidden assets;
  Complex trust structures;
• Complex company structures; and
• ‘Big money’ multi-million dollar matters.