Family Law Act 1975 - Powers of The Court

Powers of The Court

The Family Law Act gives the Court powers to make orders to restrain domestic violence, dispose of matrimonial property (including resources such as superannuation), parental responsibility, the living arrangements of children and financial maintenance for former spouses or children.

The Court retains its ability to hand down punitive sanctions in a number of areas where parties do not comply with Court orders. In the most extreme cases, as confirmed by the 2006 Amendments, this can include sentences of imprisonment (up to 12 months), fines, work orders, bonds and the like. In most cases, however, the most effective method of penalising a person is to award legal costs against them. In fact, the 2006 Amendments encourage this to be used as a sanction where people make improper or false allegations about someone else before the Court.

Read more about this topic:  Family Law Act 1975

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