Godden Lawyers deal with all matters relating to or arising from relationships and our principal is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law. You can find out more about what it takes to become an Accredited Specialist here.

Godden Lawyers provides expert assistance for a range of matters relating to the breakdown of relationships, including:

• Parenting Arrangements – resolving what time your children will spend with the important people in their lives, planning future arrangements and ensuring that children’s needs are met;
• Property Settlement – On ending a relationship we provide advice and assistance in dividing assets;
• Complex matters including the interests of third parties and bankruptcy matters;
• Cohabitation and Pre Nuptial Agreements – to clarify arrangements for the future;
• Urgent & Interim applications – to protect your children’s best interests or your assets;
• Domestic Violence and Personal Protection – to ensure that you are safe and your personal rights protected;
• Child Support, Spouse Maintenance and urgent financial assistance matters;
• Divorce Applications;
• Provide advice and encourage Mediation & Arbitration to resolve disputes.

Going to Court

We have a strong commitment to the resolution of disputes. In the vast majority of cases this will not involve Court.

We provide detailed advice to parties regarding their legal position, their rights, obligations and responsibilities and the options available to them to try and resolve their dispute without the need for Court intervention. If matters are taken to Court then it is still possible for your matter to be resolved. The Court process is designed to afford opportunities for discussion, negotiation and resolution and we will assist you in maximising these opportunities.

If your matter cannot be resolved and requires determination by the Court then we provide excellent, expert representation at Court including through the conduct of matters by solicitors within our firm or through retaining Barristers to appear on your behalf if this is necessary, appropriate or your wish.

Best Practice Guidelines

This practice accepts and embraces the Best Practice Guidelines – for lawyers doing family law work published by the Family Law Council and Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, namely:

• In all children’s matters it is important for solicitors to bear in mind and emphasise to clients, throughout the case, the continuing nature of the relationship of parent and child and the benefits that cooperation between parents brings to children.
• Solicitors should warn clients about the potentially damaging effects of involving their children in disputes concerning their parents and the particular risk of harm to children where they are encouraged to take sides or become involved in their parent’s disputes.
• Solicitors should make clients aware that negotiations in relation to children are separate from negotiations in relation to other disputes they may have with the other parent and clients should be made aware that Courts treat issues concerning children and issues concerning money, even if they relate to children, separately and independently.
• In respect of matters relating to financial issues, the principle of proportionality will be borne in mind at all times. It is not acceptable for the legal costs involved in any case to be disproportionate to separating couples’ financial position.