Service Charter. for the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia

Transcription

1 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia

2 2 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia This service charter outlies the stadard of service you ca expect from the admiistrative staff of the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia ad what you ca do if you are ot happy with the service you have received. It also outlies your resposibilities as a cliet of either court. This Charter does ot relate to the work that is performed by judges. The Family Court of Australia The Family Court of Australia is a superior court of record created by the Family Law Act The Family Court deals with the most complex family law disputes, icludig those ivolvig serious allegatios of physical ad sexual abuse. The Court s purpose is to: determie cases with complex law, facts ad multiple parties cover specialised areas, such as applicatios pursuat to the Hague Covetio o Iteratioal Child Abductio, special medical procedures, child sexual abuse, ad iteratioal relocatio, ad provide atioal coverage as the appellate court i family law matters. The focus of the Court is o helpig families to resolve their disputes by agreemet rather tha proceedig to a formal hearig by a judge. The Federal Circuit Court of Australia The Federal Circuit Court of Australia is a federal court dealig with both family law ad geeral federal law matters, although most of its work is i the area of family law. Previously kow as the Federal Magistrates Court, it was established with the aim of providig a simple ad accessible alterative to litigatio i the superior federal courts. The Court s geeral federal law jurisdictios iclude; admiralty, admiistrative, bakruptcy, copyright, discrimiatio ad huma rights, migratio, privacy, trade practices ad cosumer protectio, ad idustrial law. The Federal Circuit Court of Australia shares these jurisdictios with the Federal Court of Australia. I family law, the Court primarily deals with early all first istace divorce applicatios, applicatios for paretig ad/or property orders ad child support ad eforcemet issues. The Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act directs the Court to operate iformally ad to use streamlied procedures. This complemets the Parliamet s iitiatives to ecourage people to egage i a rage of dispute resolutio processes.

3 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia 3 Locatios The Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia are idepedet courts but cooperate to provide streamlied access to the federal family law system. There are 19 family law registries located throughout every Australia state ad territory except Wester Australia which has its ow family court. Family law registries provide services to both the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. I additio to sittig i the pricipal locatios, the courts coduct judicial, registrar ad family cosultat circuits throughout Australia i accordace with the schedules published o the websites at ad The Federal Circuit Court of Australia shares registries with the Federal Court for its geeral federal law work. There are eight registries, located i the capital cities of all states ad territories. Details ad cotact umbers for the registries are available from the Court s website at

4 4 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Statemet from the Chief Executive Officer We kow you value good service ad our aim is to give you the best service we possibly ca. This service charter outlies the stadard of service you ca expect from the Family Court ad the Federal Circuit Court; your resposibilities as a cliet; ad what you ca do if you are ot happy with the service you have received. It helps us to moitor our performace ad to measure whether we are meetig our commitmets to you. We are required to perform our duties i a impartial ad professioal maer, beig ope ad accoutable for our actios ad havig the highest ethical stadards. Uder the APS Code of Coduct we will behave at all times i a way that upholds APS Values. To fid out more, visit or Richard Foster PSM FAIM Chief Executive Officer, Family Court of Australia Actig Chief Executive Officer, Federal Circuit Court of Australia

5 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia 5 What you ca expect from our staff Our staff will: Be courteous, helpful ad respectful to your idividual eeds. Respect your rights whether you have legal represetatio or ot ad treat all parties fairly. Give you prompt ad resposive service. Respect your privacy (uless there are legal requiremets to disclose iformatio). Deliver services for parties ad lawyers i a safe ad secure eviromet. Provide iformatio about the iterests of the childre i paretig matters, cociliatio i property ad fiacial disputes ad where appropriate, refer you to commuity-based support services. Provide accurate up-to-date iformatio that is clear ad uderstadable. Assist, where possible, to overcome ay persoal barriers to a perso s dealigs with the courts such as distace, physical, hearig or visual difficulties, or o-eglish speakig backgroud. What our staff caot do Our staff caot: Give you legal advice, tell you what words to use i your court papers or what to say i court. Tell you whether or ot you should brig your case to court. Recommed a certai lawyer to act o your behalf. Tell you what the decisio of the Court will be. Iterpret, chage or eforce orders made by a judicial officer. Let you commuicate with a judicial officer, other tha at the hearig of your court case. How you ca help us help you We ca provide a better service if you: Let us kow if you have ay particular eeds or problems (icludig tellig us if there is ay history or fear of family violece). Give us complete ad accurate iformatio. Let us kow if you caot keep a appoitmet. Atted ay hearig uless excused by the Court. Use the correct forms, pay the right fees ad file material o time. Uderstad that our staff caot provide legal advice. Comply with the Courts procedures ad ay orders made by a judge.

6 6 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Your rights ad resposibilities You have a right to: Fair ad helpful assistace. Have your privacy respected ad iformatio about you kept cofidetial (uless the law requires otherwise). A fair ad just hearig i a safe eviromet. Timely decisios by the Court. Restricted access to iformatio o the file held by the Court i relatio to your proceedigs. You are resposible for: Complyig with ay order, decrees ad directios of the Court. Full ad frak disclosure of iformatio. Cooperatig with ay requests or directios of court staff. Behavig courteously whe you are at court. What to do if you are ot happy with the services you have received We value your opiio ad welcome your feedback about our admiistrative processes ad coduct, icludig ay suggestios about how we could do better. If you are ot satisfied with the service, policy, practices or charges, you should speak to a staff member or their supervisor, or write to the Registry Maager, as most complaits are dealt with at a registry level. If the Registry caot satisfy your cocer, they will refer your matter to someoe who ca help you ad will advise you accordigly. You may also your feedback to the Courts at clietfeedback@familycourt.gov.au or customer.service@federalcircuitcourt.gov.au More complex complaits ad represetatios are forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer: Family Court of Australia Federal Circuit Court of Australia Chief Executive Officer Actig Chief Executive Officer GPO Box 9991, Caberra ACT 2601 GPO Box 9991, Caberra ACT 2601 Fax Fax clietfeedback@familycourt.gov.au customer.service@federalcircuitcourt.gov.au The courts will geerally ackowledge your complait upo receipt ad will edeavour to provide a formal respose to you withi 20 workig days uless you are advised that this timeframe caot be met.

7 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia 7 The Commowealth Ombudsma If you are still dissatisfied with the way we have hadled your complait, you may cotact the Commowealth Ombudsma. The Ombudsma is idepedet of the Courts. For more iformatio go to: or call Judicial decisios If you are ot satisfied with the decisio made by the Judge ad wat a examiatio of whether the law was applied correctly i your case, you ca make a applicatio through the appeals process. For more iformatio see the followig fact sheets: Complaits ad feedback which is available at all family law registries ad o the Family Law Courts website ( or Appealig a Judge s decisio which is available uder the publicatios sectio of the Federal Circuit Court website ( If you eed more iformatio Publicatios Further iformatio about your rights ad resposibilities ad our services is cotaied i a umber of publicatios available free from the registries. They are also available to dowload from the websites ad follow the Publicatios lik. Cliets with Eglish as a secod laguage If you have difficulty with Eglish ad eed to atted court, call to ask for a iterpreter to be booked. This service is free. If you do ot already have a applicatio with the Courts but eed to make cotact with the Courts, you ca get help from a qualified iterpreter by cotactig the Traslatio ad Iterpretig Services o This service is free. The Courts also have some publicatios i laguages other tha Eglish. You ca view these o the Court websites ad follow the Publicatios ad Traslated Iformatio lik. Cliets with special eeds If you are deaf or have a hearig or speech impairmet, you ca cotact us usig the free TTY service o Iterpreter services for deaf, hearig impaired ad/ or speech impaired cliets are also available. Arragemets ca be made for AUSLAN iterpreters or CART (Commuicatio Access Real-time Traslatio) service providers to accompay cliets who are deaf, hearig impaired ad/or speech impaired at court evets. Each registry also has at least oe courtroom with a hearig loop istalled. Arragemets ca be made to assist cliets who are deaf or hearig impaired to utilise this facility where practicable.

8 8 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Fees Fees may be payable for some court proceedigs, subject to your fiacial positio. You should visit ad view the fees sectio to fid out whether you eed to pay a fee. Privacy The Family Court ad the Federal Circuit Court respect your right to privacy ad the security of your iformatio. See the fact sheet The Family Law Courts ad your privacy for details about iformatio protectio uder the privacy laws ad where privacy laws do ot apply. Legal services Equiries relatig to the provisio of legal services should be made to the law society i your state or territory. Iformatio about the availability of legal aid may be obtaied from the Legal Aid Commissio i your State or Territory.

9 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia 9 How to cotact us Natioal Equiry Cetre Phoe TTY Iteratioal Fax (02) equiries@familylawcourts.gov.au PO Box 9991 Parramatta 2124 Phoes available 8.30am to 5.00pm Moday to Friday Couters ope 8:45am to 4:30pm Moday to Friday Websites Commowealth Courts Portal After hours emergecy service If you have a urget family law matter afterhours, you ca cotact the Courts after hours service o This should oly be used i emergecies such as whe a urget order is required, whe there is a risk of a child beig removed from Australia before the ext workig day, or for solicitors if there is a risk of removal or dissipatio of assets before the ext workig day.

10 Family law registries (Family Court ad Federal Circuit Court) AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Caberra Nigel Bowe Commowealth Law Courts Cr Uiversity Ave ad Childers St Caberra ACT 2600 NEW SOUTH WALES Albury Level 1, 463 Kiewa St Albury NSW 2640 Dubbo Cr Macquarie ad Wigewarra Sts Dubbo NSW 2830 Lismore Level 2, Molesworth St Lismore NSW 2480 Newcastle 61 Bolto St Newcastle NSW 2300 Parramatta Garfield Barwick Commowealth Law Courts 1-3 George St Parramatta NSW 2150 Sydey Lioel Bowe Commowealth Law Courts Goulbur St Sydey NSW 2000 Wollogog Level 1, 43 Burelli St Wollogog NSW 2500 NORTHERN TERRITORY Alice Sprigs Cetrepoit Buildig Level 1, Hartley St Alice Sprigs NT 0870 Darwi 80 Mitchell St Darwi NT 0800 QUEENSLAND Brisbae Harry Gibbs Commowealth Law Courts 119 North Quay Brisbae QLD 4000 Cairs Level 3 ad 4, 104 Grafto St Cairs QLD 4870 Rockhampto 46 East St (Cr Fitzroy St) Rockhampto QLD 4700 Towsville Commowealth Cetre Level 2, 143 Walker St Towsville QLD 4810 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Adelaide Roma Mitchell Commowealth Law Courts 3 Agas St Adelaide SA 5000 TASMANIA Hobart Edward Braddo Commowealth Law Courts Davey St Hobart TAS 7000 Laucesto ANZ Buildig Level 3, Cr Brisbae ad George Sts Laucesto TAS 7250 VICTORIA Dadeog Robiso St Dadeog VIC 3175 Melboure Owe Dixo Commowealth Law Courts 305 William St Melboure VIC 3000 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Perth Family Court of Wester Australia 150 Terrace Rd Perth WA 6000 Phoe: (08)

11 Geeral federal law registries (Federal Circuit Court) AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY Caberra Nigel Bowe Commowealth Law Courts Uiversity Aveue ad Childers Street Caberra ACT 2601 Phoe (02) TTY (02) NEW SOUTH WALES Sydey Joh Maddiso Tower Level 12, 88 Goulbur Street Sydey NSW 2000 Phoe (02) Fax (02) NORTHERN TERRITORY Darwi Supreme Court Buildig Level 17, State Square Darwi NT 0800 Phoe (08) Fax (08) TTY (08) QUEENSLAND Brisbae Harry Gibbs Commowealth Law Courts Level 6, 119 North Quay Brisbae QLD 4000 Phoe (07) Fax (07) TTY (07) SOUTH AUSTRALIA Adelaide Roma Mitchell Commowealth Law Courts Level 5, 3 Agas Street Adelaide SA 5000 Phoe (08) Fax (08) TTY (08) sareg@fedcourt.gov.au TASMANIA Hobart Edward Braddo Commowealth Law Courts Davey Street Hobart TAS 7000 Phoe (03) Fax (03) TTY (03) tasreg@fedcourt.gov.au VICTORIA Melboure Owe Dixo Commowealth Law Courts 305 William Street Melboure Vic 3000 Phoe (03) Fax (03) TTY (03) vicreg@fedcourt.gov.au WESTERN AUSTRALIA Perth Peter Durack Commowealth Law Courts 1 Victoria Aveue Perth WA 6000 Phoe (08) Fax (08) TTY (08) waregistry@fedcourt.gov.au

12 Service Charter for the Family Court of Australia ad the Federal Circuit Court of Australia