In a speech titled ”Everything I’ve Always Wanted To Say”, recently retired Family Court judge Linda Dessau says overly combative family lawyers can give parents misguided advice and put families through unnecessary, drawn-out legal battles…

SUCH are the sensitivities of family law that when the Howard government amended the Family Law Act in 2006 it provided for a review after two years. The Rudd government has its own concerns; even before the Institute of Family Studies finished the review, Attorney-General Robert McClelland asked former family court judge Richard Chisholm to look at whether the law offers adequate protection from family violence. ..

THE Chief Justice of the Family Court has called for a radical change to the law to provide more protection to family members at risk of violence. In what could be a contentious proposal, Chief Justice Diana Bryant wants information …..