Fixed Fee Consent Orders
Melbourne & Victoria
Property Settlements from $2455 plus court fees
Servicing Victoria and Melbourne with Consent Orders in 24 hours
You’re here for a good reason.
- Fast Cost effective and legally binding
- No interference with your agreement.
- Stamp duty exemptions for property transfers.
- Superannuation approvals negotiated with your fund
- 24hr service with digital signature solution.
- Guaranteed fixed fees
- Finalise your financial relationship perminently
We are a specialised family law firm with over 25 years of experience and accredited specialists in Family Law in New South Wales and Queensland. Our services are focused on providing Consent Orders for Melbourne and regional Victoria at a fixed fee.
We are a non-conflict, agreement-focused Family Law firm assisting amicable couples create and document legally binding agreements.
A simple, fast, and cost-effective solution to get your Consent Order approved by the Family court in Melbourne.
What Do You Need Help With?
- Property Sales and Transfers
- Superannuation splitting orders
- Parenting orders
- Transfer of assets
- People retaining assets - houses cars etc.
- Agreements where each person keeps their own assets from short relationshiips.
- Requestions from the Family Court.
- Defined benifits from PSS or Military Superannuation.
- Family trusts, companies or other legal entities.
Whatever stage of life you’re passing through, we can document and finalise a legally binding Consent Order to create certainty.
Fixed Fee, Full Service Consent Orders from $2475 – Property Settlement
No matter what your property settlement includes, we will prepare your legally binding agreement that will finalise your financial partnership.
Fees are for both parties and include GST
(Melbourne Consent Orders)
Fixed Fee Parenting Orders – $1980.00* plus court fees
Kate Austin Family Law will prepare your Parenting Orders and make your parenting plans legally binding in just 24 hours. We are Accredited Specialists in Family Law with over 20 years of experience.
We will follow your instructions to the letter to ensure we document your agreement.
*Fees are for both parties and include GST
(Melbourne Consent Orders)
Fixed Fee Property and Children’s Consent Orders – $2905* plus court fees.
Submitting both parenting and property agreements using the same application is a very cost-effective and time-effective way of finalising your Family Law agreement.
*Fees are for both parties and include GST
(Melbourne Consent Orders)
Family Law – A National Law.
Family Law is the same all over Australia, with some variations in Western Australia.
- Because the Family Court has the same rules in each state, no law firm in one state can better deal with that state’s Family Court.
- No matter what state you are in, your consent orders could be allocated to another registry in the country. A matter from Melbourne may be assessed in Sydney, or a matter from Victoria may be determined in Queensland.
- To practice federal law, interstate the requirements are
-
- Lawyers in any state can practice federal law anywhere in Australia, provided they are admitted to the profession in an Australian jurisdiction; and
- on the Register of Practitioners kept in the High Court in accordance with the provisions of section 55 of the Judiciary Act 1903(Cth).
What Kate Austin will NOT do.
It’s the things we don’t do that set us apart.
- We do NOT try to change your agreement.
- We do NOT negotiate between parties.
- We do NOT get involved arguments between parties.
- We will advise on the “Just and Equitable” jointly
What Kate Austin Will do to assist with your Consent Orders.
- Free Initial discussion about your consent orders.
- Work with both parties on drafting your consent orders.
- Continual updates on the progress of your agreement
- Access to our office to answer questions in relation to your matter.
- Creation and submission of your application to the Family Court
- Custom drafting of your agreement by Rachel Stubbs
- Suggested notations on your orders.
Associations of Which We’re Part
Get an Online Quote With No Surprises
If you’re looking for a firm figure on what a Consent Order will cost in Melbourne, you can find it by clicking the button below. You’ll be able to calculate the cost based on your circumstances and get a quote you can trust.
We have a straightforward pricing structure that caters for all situations.
We have a price for a property settlement, with an additional cost for a superannuation splitting order if required. We also have a price for parenting orders.
Five questions we always get asked about a Consent Order.
-
1. Can you work with Clients in Melborne?
Answer: Yes - Family Law is the same all over Australia. So long as you are an Australian resident, we can assist you
-
2. Will you work with both us? - we only want 1 lawyer.
Answer: Yes, so long as you understand we are a neutral party and do not represent either of you.
-
3. Can you give us a fixed fee?
Answer: Yes, We only provide fixed fees.
-
4. Will the Family Court accept our agreement?
Answer: We will discuss your agreement with you. If we don't think it will be accepted, we will advise you both and suggest alternate solutions with other lawyers.
We only accept matter we believe will be accepted by the Family Court.
Why People Choose Kate Austin for Their Consent Orders
- It can cost you as little as $2420 for parenting or $2970 property orders, and only $3740 or both (plus the standard court fees)
- We focus on Consent Orders, which means we know how to make sure yours is 100% rock-solid.
- You have our guarantee that your Consent Order will be drafted within 24 hours.
- We’re accredited specialists in family law and have practised in both NSW and QLD for 25 years.
After practising family law in NSW for 25 years, we’re now based in Queensland. As family law is a federal jurisdiction, people all around Australia (except Western Australia) come to us to help them move through separation and divorce quickly and inexpensively with a Consent Order.
Can you work with both parties?
Yes, we can but only under strict conditions.
- We do not represent either party in this process.
- Each party can obtain their own legal advice; if they are unsure, they should do so.
- We do not negotiate between either party.
- We only document your agreement.
- We do not get involved in disputes
- We are happy to have joint discussions and emails as both parties agree with these principles.
How long do Consent Orders take?
Kate Austin Family Lawyers
Once we have your intake forms, we will generally have your first draft ready in 24 hours. We will advise you what day your matter is being drafted and would like you to be available if we have any questions. Your matter will be started in the morning, and your draft will be provided in the evening.
Once you have your first draft, we will make changes within 24 hours.
When you are ready to sign your documents, we will provide you with an electronic signature solution with access codes via your mobile. Once both parties have signed, we will submit your application for Consent Orders and “minute of order” to the family court online through our court portal.
The Family Court
The court’s approval of your Consent Orders may take up to 6 weeks. Please note that this timeline is influenced by the time of the year. Generally, the period leading up to Christmas and the end of school terms may result in longer processing times. Similarly, the start of new school terms may also experience a slight delay.
Can the Family Court change our Consent Orders?
No, when you present your application for consent orders and the proposed agreement, you ask the Family Court to either accept the proposed Consent Orders or not. They will not make a decision to change your agreement without your consent.
What is “just and equitable” in Consent Orders?
“Just and equitable” involves the concept of fairness in the agreement between the parties.
This is a very complex question, and it involves lots of variables. These may include.
- Length of the relationship
- Contributions during the relations ship
- Children’s age and health
- Parties’ age and health
- Any future needs a party may have.
While we do not provide legal advice to parties, we have made a decision that we will only work with parties that have come to an agreement that we firmly believe the Family Court will accept as just and equitable, ensuring a fair and balanced approach.
From our observation, people working together in good faith come to fantastic agreements. They do this not because they are told what the court expects or a lawyer has told them what to do but because they act out of respect for their former partner.
Application for Consent Orders – Form 11
The application for consent orders is the first document submitted. The requirements for this step are broadly as follows.
You must disclose all assets and all liabilities at their current value – not the date of separation.
The application demonstrates the initial financial position before the agreement is implemented. The second section demonstrates what the deal looks like after the minute of the order is implemented. The final calculation demonstrates the agreement as a percentage of the total net assets that each party will receive. Please remember that the agreement includes superannuation as part of the percentage.
This form was called form 11, and occasionally, the term is still used by the more experienced. layers
Who is a Kate Austin Client?
Kate Austin Family Lawyers would be the best suited law firm for you if you are in the following situation.
- You would like to legally finalise your financial relationship with your previous partner.
- You are still amicable with your previous partner.
- You are seeking a fixed fee arrangement.
- You have a fair agreement that both of you are happy with.
Matters that are not suitable.
Our service does not suit everybody. It requires clients with a degree of trust in each other seeking a respectful Family Law solution. If you do not have this, then we are not the firm for you.
- You do not have an agreement with your former partner.
- You do not have an agreement with your former partner.
- There is a history of significant domestic violence.
- You are not willing to be open and transparent to the current financial situation.
People and their roles in your matter
Brendan will be the first person you speak to about your Consent Orders,
You will have a general discussion about your matter and if it’s mutually suitable for our firm.
- You will discuss our role in the process.
- How would your agreement probably be drafted by Rachel?
- The timing and cost of your Consent Orders.
- The process to move forward
- Collection of all your information to draft your agreement.
Rachel is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law recognised in both Queensland and NSW.
Rachel manages all the legal aspects of your matter
- Looking at all initial information supplied and ensuring compliance with the Family Court
- Drafting application. minute of order, Notice of Risk and superannuation correspondence.
- All Aspects of the Family Court Portal and discussions with the Family Court.
- Assists with any requestions if required.
Five Questions about the Kate Austin Process
In order to submit your Consent Orders to the Family Court, we prepare all the necessary documents. The following are among them:
- Application for Consent Orders – Required for all matters
- Minute of Order – The written document outlining your agreement
- Notice of risk with only required with parenting orders.
- Letters to superannuation funds requesting splittting approvals
- Letters to the court as required
- Letters to actuaries for defined benefit superannuation.
- Any other correspondence as required by your matter.
All documents are included in our fixed fees.
We are happy to have a general discussion in relation to your consent orders, as this is the first step in understanding your agreement. Our discussion will cover the following topics.
- The main aim is to see If we are suitable for you.
- Generally, see if you have an agreement that would be considered just equitable.
- To see if we both believe we are suitable to work together.
- To discuss how consent orders would work in your situation, Asset by asset.
- Explain how the structure of your agreement would be laid out in a minute of order.
- General discussions about timing disclosure and process.
- Process to start consent orders with our office.
Free consultations are not useful unless you have an amicable agreement. We may direct you to a more suitable service if we are not a good fit.
Yes, we can, as long as everyone understands the rules.
1. We are a neutral party and we do not represent either of you. Our job is to draft the agreement that you have come to without any intervention.
2. Either party can obtain independent legal advice, but it will need to be obtained from another firm.
3. If we believe that we will have difficulties having your matter approved by the Family Court, we will advise you both at the same time.
4. We do not sign the certificate of independent advice on the application for consent orders as we have not provided any legal advice the either party.
5. All our conversations are general in nature refereeing to process with the Family Court.
Yes, but would be only general in nature and referencing the process of obtaining Consent Orders.
We do not provide legal advice to individual parties as we are a neutral party.
We service clients all over Australia. In fact, all over the world. All our discussions are over the phone or Teams calls.
All documentation is signed electronically in accordance with the Family Court practice directions.
No, unfortunately we do not provide that service.
Our Consultation about Consent Orders is free.
We are happy to have a general discussion in relation to your consent orders, as this is the first step in understanding your agreement. Our discussion will cover the following topics.
Free consultations are not useful unless you have an amicable agreement. We may direct you to a more suitable service if we are not a good fit.
General questions about Consent Orders.
There is a significant difference in the cost of family lawyers. A time-based fee is still charged by most law firms, which means that the more time they spend discussing your matter with you, discussing it with the other party’s solicitor, and drafting your agreements, the more they will charge. It is important that you feel confident that the services you are engaging will be drafted and negotiated efficiently. The legal profession has a saying that time costing rewards inefficiency.
Fees at Kate Austin Family Lawyers are fixed. Our fees will remain the same regardless of how long it takes us to complete your matter. As a means of ensuring that clients remain focused on resolving matters in the shortest time possible, we have rules about how many changes clients can make and what timeframes they need to meet.
When you begin your case, it is imperative that both parties understand the agreement and are willing to share their financial information as soon as possible.
Depending on the type of dispute you want to resolve, consent orders vary:
Property consent orders can be used to resolve all your property matters.
Parenting consent orders can be used to resolve disputes related to your children.
Property and parenting consent orders address both your property and parenting disputes in one consent order.
The minute of Order is the second document that we prepare. The minute of order outlines the agreement in written terms
No it doesn’t.
Consent Orders do not require independent legal advice.
Everybody can get advice and, in some cases, the Family Court will recommend that one party receives it but you do not need two lawyers to submit your agreement.
There are no strict timelines, but it usually takes around 4 weeks from when you lodge your documents in the Family Court until the Consent Orders are made available. Consent Orders can be accessed online with the court seal on them. You can download them and forward them to relevant organisations, such as conveyancers for property transfers or schools that require family court orders for registration
further information can be found on our post How long do consent Orders take?
A Consent Order is an agreement submitted to the Family Court for approval. It is designed to finalise the financial affairs between parties so that once approved, neither party can make a claim on the other again. It outlines all assets and all liabilities and who will own them or be responsible for them in the future.
They are legally enforceable and difficult to change in the future unless you have an agreement.
You cannot change the orders unilaterally, as they are binding for both parties. However, if you can show that there has been a significant change in circumstances since the order was issued, you may request an amendment to the orders in cases involving children. For property matters, changes can be made by mutual agreement, provided they are still considered just and equitable.
Consent orders are legal agreements concerning parenting and property that are binding. However, child support requires a separate process. Although consent orders are created through mutual agreement and can be established without a court hearing, they still hold the authority of a court order. When a financial order is issued, both parties are obligated to comply with it.
Whether the Order is made by Consent or pursuant to a contested hearing, it can still be challenged or overturned, but the circumstances in which this can happen are pretty limited. For property Consent Orders, the idea is that the court ends the financial relationship between the parties
**Mutual Agreement:** The easiest approach is to reach a mutual agreement with the other party regarding the changes. You can then document these changes in new Consent Orders and submit them to the court for approval.
**Mediation:** If an agreement cannot be reached, consider mediation with a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. If you arrive at a consensus, you can record it in a Parenting Plan.
**Court Application:** If all other options fail, you will need to apply to the court to modify the existing orders. This should generally be viewed as a last resort, as it can be time-consuming and expensive.
Consent Orders remain valid indefinitely unless an expiration date is specified.
Family Court of Australia – Melbourne Registry
305 William St, Melbourne VIC 3001.
Postal address: GPO Box 9991, Melbourne Vic 3001.
Phone: 1300 352 000. Phone hours: 8:30 – 17:00
Contact Us
Kate Austin Family Lawyers
-
Head office:
Level 54, 111 Eagle Street Brisbane QLD 4000 -
Sydney office:
Level 36, 1 Farrer Pl Sydney, NSW 2000 -
Melbourne office:
Suite 805 , Level 8, 220 Collins street Melbourne, VIC 3000 -
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday: 9AM – 5PM
