A Section 60I certificate is a document issued by a registered family dispute resolution practitioner in Australia (FDR).
It confirms that an attempt at family dispute resolution, such as mediation, has been made before initiating legal proceedings in family law matters.
This certificate is generally required before parties can apply to the court for parenting orders.
How do you get a section 60I certificate?
To obtain a Section 60I certificate in Australia:
Attend Family Dispute Resolution (FDR):
Both parties involved in a family law dispute must attend Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) with a registered practitioner.
Good Faith Participation:
Parties are required to participate in the process in good faith, meaning they engage sincerely in the resolution attempt.
Assessment by Practitioner:
The practitioner assesses whether FDR is suitable for the situation and if the parties genuinely participated.
Issuance of Certificate:
If FDR is unsuccessful, or if one party fails to attend or participate genuinely, the practitioner issues a Section 60I certificate. This certificate allows parties to apply to the court for parenting orders.
Keep in mind that there are exceptions to the FDR requirement, such as cases involving family violence, child abuse, or urgency. In such situations, a certificate may be exempted or not required.
If you would like to find out more about FDR and how Coastal Lawyers can assist you reaching an amicable family law settlement for parenting, property or both you can book in a free 15 minute clarity call online today.
Written by Coastal Lawyers- Central Coast Family Lawyers
Coastal Lawyers are family lawyers based in Erina, on the Central Coast.
Coastal Lawyers assist family law clients in parenting, property, mediation, dispute resolution, and litigation. We offer the legal advice you expect from a lawyer, along with the emotional support you might not expect.
We are passionate about assisting our clients achieve amicable separations without the need for court intervention through the process of legally assisted mediation.
Our team also frequently appears at the Newcastle Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Newcastle FCFCOA), the Parramatta Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Parramatta FCFCOA), and the Sydney Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Sydney FCFCOA) to represent our clients in more intricate family law matters. This encompasses issues related to family violence, unacceptable risk of harm to children, relocation applications, recovery orders and complex property settlements.
Coastal Lawyers offer a 1 hour Strategy Session for all new family law enquiries at a reduced hourly rate.