How Does Child Custody Work in South Australia? Parenting Arrangements Explained

Updated July 2026. If you are separating and wondering how does child custody work in SA, the short answer is that Australian family law focuses on parenting arrangements that are in the child’s best interests. “Child custody” is still a common search term, but the law now speaks about who a child lives with, the time and communication they have with parents or other important people, and who makes decisions about major long-term issues.

There is no automatic rule that children must live mainly with their mother or father. There is also no presumption that children must spend equal time with each parent. Parents can make their own arrangements where it is safe and workable, document an agreement in a parenting plan, ask the Court to make consent orders, or apply for parenting orders if they cannot agree.

This guide explains the current law on child custody in South Australia, including parenting plans, consent orders, Family Dispute Resolution, parental responsibility, equal time, children’s views, relocation, family violence, changing orders and breaches. For advice about your circumstances, visit our child custody lawyer Adelaide service or contact O’Dea Lawyers.

How does child custody work in SA? The key points

• Federal law applies. Parenting disputes in South Australia are generally dealt with under the federal Family Law Act 1975 by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
• The child’s best interests are paramount. Safety, the child’s needs, their views, each proposed carer’s capacity and important relationships are among the matters considered.
• There is no equal-time presumption. The former presumption of equal shared parental responsibility was removed on 6 May 2024, and equal time has never been an automatic entitlement.
• Agreement is possible without a contested hearing. Parents may use an informal arrangement, parenting plan or consent orders, depending on the certainty and enforceability required.
• Family Dispute Resolution is usually required before court. A section 60I certificate is generally needed for a new parenting application unless an exemption applies.
• Safety changes the process. Family violence, abuse, neglect, urgency and a person’s ability to participate safely can affect mediation, evidence and the orders sought.

Immediate safety: If you or a child is in immediate danger, call 000. For confidential domestic, family or sexual violence support in Australia, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732. Do not delay urgent safety action while trying to negotiate parenting arrangements.

What does “child custody” mean in South Australia?

“Custody” is an everyday expression rather than the terminology generally used in modern Australian family law. A parent asking for “full custody” may actually be seeking several different outcomes: for the child to live primarily with them, for the other parent’s time to be limited or supervised, or for one parent to make particular long-term decisions. Those issues must be identified separately.

A parenting agreement or parenting order may address:

• who the child lives with and the practical care schedule;
• when the child spends time with each parent, grandparents or other significant people;
• telephone, video and other communication when the child is not physically with someone;
• how responsibility for major long-term decisions is allocated;
• school terms, weekends, birthdays, holidays and special occasions;
• handover locations, transport and notice of changes;
• relocation, passports and interstate or overseas travel;
• supervision, communication boundaries or other safeguards where risk is alleged; and
• how future disagreements or changes will be handled.

That is why precise language matters. A clear child custody agreement should describe what is to happen in real life instead of relying on labels such as “custody”, “access” or “50/50”.

Does South Australia have separate child custody laws?

For most separated parents in Adelaide and elsewhere in South Australia, parenting arrangements are governed by Part VII of the federal Family Law Act 1975. Applications are generally made in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, including through its Adelaide registry and electronic filing system.

This is different from South Australian child protection proceedings and state intervention orders. Those state systems can overlap with a family law matter, but they have different purposes and procedures. If the Department for Child Protection is involved, an intervention order applies, or police have raised safety concerns, obtain advice about how each process affects the others.

Divorce is also separate from parenting proceedings. You do not need to wait for a divorce before making parenting arrangements, and a divorce order does not itself decide where children live or how parental decisions are made.

How does the Court decide a child’s best interests?

The child’s best interests are the paramount consideration when the Court makes a parenting order. Since 6 May 2024, the Family Law Act uses a shorter, child-focused list of considerations. The Court considers the facts of the individual family rather than applying a standard parenting formula.

The current considerations include:

• Safety: what arrangements would promote the safety of the child and every person who cares for the child, including safety from family violence, abuse, neglect or other harm;
• The child’s views: any views expressed by the child, considered in the context of the child’s circumstances;
• The child’s needs: their developmental, psychological, emotional and cultural needs;
• Each carer’s capacity: the capacity of each person who has or is proposed to have parental responsibility to meet those needs;
• Important relationships: the benefit to the child of having a relationship with their parents and other significant people, where it is safe to do so; and
• Other relevant circumstances: anything else relevant to that particular child.

When considering safety, the Court must consider any history of family violence, abuse or neglect and any family violence order that applies or has applied to the child or a member of the child’s family. For an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child, the Court must also consider the child’s right to enjoy their culture and to maintain cultural, family, community, country and language connections.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court’s children overview explains these factors. Evidence about routines, care history, safety, schooling, health, development, relationships and each proposed arrangement is more useful than broad claims that one parent is “better”.

Is equal time or 50/50 custody presumed in SA?

No. There is no presumption that a child should spend equal time with each parent. There is no automatic entitlement to alternate weeks, half of every school holiday or any other mathematical division of time.

The law changed on 6 May 2024. The former presumption of equal shared parental responsibility was removed, together with the linked requirement that the Court consider equal time or substantial and significant time in certain circumstances. As the Court’s explanation of the 2024 family law changes makes clear, equal time was never mandatory.

Equal or near-equal time can still be agreed or ordered where it is safe, practical and in the child’s best interests. Relevant practical issues may include the child’s age and developmental needs, distance between homes, school and activity commitments, each parent’s availability, the quality of communication, the child’s views and any safety concerns. A younger child may need a different rhythm from a teenager, and a plan that works during school terms may need different holiday arrangements.

Custody, parental responsibility and decision-making are different

Parental responsibility concerns the duties, powers, responsibilities and authority parents have in relation to their children. It is not the same question as how much time a child spends with someone. A child can live mainly with one parent while both parents remain involved in some long-term decisions, or the Court can allocate sole decision-making about one or more issues to one parent.

Separation does not automatically remove a parent’s parental responsibility. Subject to any court order, each parent ordinarily continues to have it. However, that does not create a presumption that a court must order joint decision-making, nor does it give either parent an ownership right over the child.

Major long-term issues can include the child’s:

• education;
• health;
• religious and cultural upbringing;
• name; and
• significant changes to living arrangements that make it substantially more difficult for the child to spend time with a parent.

Where an order provides for joint decision-making about a major long-term issue, the people covered by the order must consult and make a genuine effort to reach a joint decision. Orders can instead give one person sole decision-making responsibility for all or specified long-term issues. Everyday decisions while a child is in someone’s care are usually treated differently, but the exact wording of existing orders must always be checked.

Four ways parents can make parenting arrangements

1. Informal parenting arrangements

Some parents begin with a verbal or trial arrangement. This can offer flexibility, but uncertainty often arises over holidays, travel, school decisions or what happens when one parent changes their mind. If the arrangement matters, recording it clearly can reduce misunderstandings.

2. Parenting plans

A parenting plan is a written agreement about parenting arrangements that is made voluntarily, dated and signed by both parents. It may cover living arrangements, time, communication, decision-making and dispute-resolution steps. A parenting plan is not itself legally enforceable.

Parenting plans are flexible, but legal advice is important where earlier parenting orders exist. A later parenting plan can affect whether inconsistent parts of an earlier order are enforceable. The Australian Government’s parenting agreements guidance provides general information.

3. Consent orders

If parents agree and want legally binding arrangements, they can apply for consent orders. The Court considers whether the proposed parenting orders are in the child’s best interests. An application for consent orders can usually be dealt with on the documents, without a contested hearing. A section 60I Family Dispute Resolution certificate is not required merely to ask the Court to make agreed consent orders.

4. Court-made parenting orders

If agreement is not possible, a parent or another eligible person can apply for parenting orders. The Court may make interim orders while the case progresses and final orders after agreement or a final hearing. Parenting orders are binding, and each person affected must take all reasonable steps to comply.

Not every family needs the same level of formality. The right choice depends on safety, trust, complexity, the need for certainty, travel or relocation issues, and whether an existing order already applies.

What should a parenting plan or parenting order cover?

A useful parenting document should be specific enough to guide both households but practical enough to work as children grow. Depending on the family, it may address:

• the ordinary school-week and weekend schedule;
• school holidays, public holidays, birthdays and cultural or religious occasions;
• where and when handovers occur, who transports the child and what happens if someone is late;
• telephone or video contact and reasonable privacy for the child;
• school choice, access to school information and attendance at events;
• medical, dental, psychological and allied-health decisions;
• passports, notice of proposed travel and consent for overseas trips;
• how each parent will communicate important information;
• attendance at extracurricular activities and responsibility for transport;
• relationships with siblings, grandparents and other significant people;
• cultural and language connections;
• safety conditions, supervised time or neutral handovers where necessary; and
• a method for reviewing the arrangement and resolving future disputes.

Vague phrases such as “reasonable time” may work for cooperative parents but cause difficulty where communication is poor. On the other hand, excessively rigid terms can become impractical. Good drafting anticipates predictable pressure points without trying to regulate every minute of family life.

How to make parenting arrangements when you agree

Step 1: identify the decisions you actually need to make

Start with the child’s current routine and needs. Separate immediate issues—such as where the child will stay next week—from long-term issues such as schooling, healthcare or relocation. Consider work rosters, travel time, the child’s activities and how transitions affect them.

Step 2: exchange proposals in a safe, child-focused way

Where direct communication is safe, a practical written proposal can help. Focus on the child’s schedule and needs rather than blame about the relationship. If direct discussion is unsafe or unproductive, communication can occur through lawyers or an appropriate dispute-resolution process.

Step 3: choose the right legal form

Decide whether an informal arrangement, parenting plan or consent orders provide enough certainty. Consider whether enforceability is important, whether one parent may relocate or travel, and whether existing court orders need to be varied correctly.

Step 4: obtain advice before signing

Independent advice can identify ambiguous terms, practical gaps and unintended effects. It is particularly important if there are safety concerns, unequal bargaining power, interstate or international issues, a child with complex needs, or an existing parenting order.

What happens when parents cannot agree?

Most parenting disputes should first be approached through negotiation or Family Dispute Resolution where it is safe to do so. If no agreement is reached, an application may be made to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The Court expects parties to take genuine steps before filing unless an exception applies.

Family Dispute Resolution and the section 60I certificate

Before filing a new application for parenting orders, a person generally must attempt Family Dispute Resolution with a registered practitioner and obtain a section 60I certificate. The certificate may record, for example, that both parties attended, that one person did not attend, or that the practitioner considered FDR inappropriate.

Exemptions can apply in circumstances including urgency, reasonable grounds to believe there has been or is a risk of child abuse or family violence, an inability to participate effectively, and certain recent contravention applications. An exemption is not automatic merely because conflict exists; the application and supporting evidence must address the relevant ground. The Court’s compulsory Family Dispute Resolution guide explains the general requirements.

Pre-action procedures and genuine steps

Unless an exception applies, parties are expected to follow parenting pre-action procedures. This can involve exchanging notice of the issues and proposed orders, exploring dispute resolution and making a genuine attempt to resolve the dispute. Communications should be accurate, measured and focused on workable outcomes.

Starting a parenting case

A new case commonly requires an Initiating Application stating the interim and final orders sought, a section 60I certificate or material supporting an exemption, a Notice of child abuse, family violence or risk, a Genuine Steps Certificate, and supporting evidence. Required forms and procedures can change, so check the Court’s current parenting-order application guidance before filing.

Interim and final parenting orders

Interim orders can establish temporary arrangements while evidence is gathered and the case progresses. They may be particularly important where living arrangements have broken down, a child has not been returned, relocation is proposed or safety measures are needed. Final orders resolve the issues after agreement or a final hearing. Because interim decisions can influence family routines for a significant period, proposed interim orders should be practical and supported by focused evidence.

Family violence, child abuse and urgent parenting matters

Safety is not a secondary consideration in parenting cases. Family violence can include physical or sexual violence, threats, coercive or controlling behaviour, stalking, financial abuse, damaging property, technology-facilitated abuse and exposing a child to violence. The appropriate legal and practical response depends on the risk.

Possible arrangements in a risk case can include supervised time, a children’s contact service, protected or staggered handovers, communication only through a specified channel, restrictions on contact, orders about alcohol or drug use, injunctions, sole decision-making on particular issues, or no time where that is required for safety. These outcomes are not automatic; evidence and the individual child’s best interests matter.

If mediation cannot occur safely or effectively, raise that during screening rather than agreeing to an unsafe process. If an urgent application is required, explain the urgency clearly and provide available supporting material. A South Australian intervention order and a federal parenting order may both be relevant, so obtain advice before assuming one simply overrides the other. Our intervention order Adelaide guide provides related information.

How are a child’s views considered?

A child does not simply choose which parent to live with at a fixed age. The Court must consider any views the child expresses, but the significance placed on those views depends on all the circumstances, including the child’s age, maturity, understanding, experiences, reasons and whether their views may have been influenced.

Children are generally not asked to give evidence in the same way as adult parties or to negotiate directly with their parents. Their views and experiences may be obtained through a Court Child Expert, a Child Impact Report, a Family Report or an Independent Children’s Lawyer. The process used depends on the case and any orders the Court makes.

Child Impact Reports and Family Reports

A Child Impact Report is usually an early, child-focused assessment that can assist interim decision-making and dispute resolution. A more detailed Family Report is often ordered when a matter is moving toward a final hearing. A family consultant may speak with parents and, where appropriate, children, consider relationships and risks, and provide an independent assessment. The report is important evidence but does not make the final decision.

Independent Children’s Lawyers

In some proceedings, the Court appoints an Independent Children’s Lawyer, or ICL, to represent and promote the child’s best interests. The ICL is independent of both parents and is not simply the child’s direct legal representative taking instructions in the usual way. The ICL considers the child’s views and relevant evidence, but forms an independent position about the child’s best interests.

Parents should not coach a child, ask them to choose sides or repeatedly question them about the proceedings. That can increase the child’s stress and may damage both the family relationship and the reliability of evidence.

Relocating with a child after separation

Relocation means changing where a child lives in a way that affects their ability to spend time with a parent or another significant person. It can involve moving to another Adelaide suburb, regional South Australia, interstate or overseas; the practical impact matters more than a particular distance.

A parent should not assume they can relocate a child merely because the child usually lives with them. If the other parent does not agree, seek legal advice and, if necessary, an order before moving. A unilateral relocation may lead to an urgent application and an order requiring the child to return while the Court determines the dispute.

A relocation proposal should address why the move is proposed, housing and support, schooling, the child’s needs and views, travel costs, and how the child’s relationship with the other parent and important people can be maintained safely. The Court does not determine whether the adult is permitted to move; it decides what parenting arrangements, including the child’s residence, are in the child’s best interests. See the Court’s relocation and travel guidance.

Overseas travel, passports and children not returned

Parenting arrangements should deal clearly with passports, advance notice, itineraries, contact details and consent for overseas travel. If parenting proceedings are on foot or orders restrict travel, taking a child overseas without written consent or a court order can have serious consequences. Urgent advice may be needed about airport watchlist orders or other travel restraints.

If a child is not returned as agreed or their location is unknown, a recovery order may authorise appropriate people, including police in some cases, to find, recover and deliver the child. International removal or retention can also engage the Hague Convention, depending on the countries and circumstances. Act quickly because delay can complicate the available remedies.

Can grandparents or other carers seek parenting orders?

Yes. A grandparent, kinship carer or another person concerned with the care, welfare and development of a child can apply for parenting orders. An order may provide for a child to live with, spend time with or communicate with a grandparent or another significant person.

Grandparents do not have an automatic entitlement to a particular amount of time. As with an application by a parent, the child’s best interests remain paramount. The nature of the relationship, the child’s needs and views, care history, cultural connections, practical arrangements and any safety issues may all be relevant.

Can parenting orders be changed?

Parenting arrangements often need adjustment as children grow, schools change, parents move or safety circumstances evolve. Informal arrangements and parenting plans may be changed by agreement. Existing parenting orders require more care.

If everyone agrees, the parties may seek new consent orders. They may sometimes enter a later parenting plan, but should obtain advice because of the effect it can have on enforcement of inconsistent terms. If one party asks the Court to reconsider final parenting orders without agreement, the Court must first consider whether there has been a significant change in circumstances and whether reconsideration is in the child’s best interests. This threshold is now set out in section 65DAAA of the Family Law Act.

Do not assume an outdated order can simply be ignored because the family’s routine has changed. Use the correct process to vary it. The Court’s changing parenting arrangements guide explains the general pathway.

What if a parent breaches a parenting order?

A person affected by a parenting order must comply with it and take all reasonable steps to help it operate. A contravention may include intentionally failing to comply, making no reasonable attempt to comply, preventing another person from complying, or helping someone else breach the order.

The Court considers whether a breach occurred and whether there was a reasonable excuse. Depending on the facts, it can order make-up time, vary or suspend orders, require attendance at a post-separation parenting program, order costs, impose a fine or make other orders. Serious or repeated breaches can have more significant consequences.

Contravention proceedings are technical. A genuine safety emergency may require urgent legal action rather than unilateral long-term non-compliance. Keep accurate records, avoid retaliatory breaches and obtain advice about enforcement, variation or urgent protective orders. The Court publishes current parenting-order compliance information.

What evidence helps in a parenting dispute?

Parenting cases are decided on evidence, not the volume of accusations. Useful material depends on the issues but may include:

• existing parenting plans, consent orders and court orders;
• a concise chronology of care arrangements and significant events;
• school records, medical information or professional reports relevant to disputed issues;
• communications showing proposals, notice, agreement, refusal or practical difficulties;
• police records, intervention orders or child protection documents where safety is in issue;
• work rosters, travel times, housing information and proposed school or care arrangements; and
• specific examples showing how each proposal would affect the child.

Keep records lawfully and preserve original messages or documents. Do not secretly record conversations without first obtaining advice about legality and admissibility. Avoid publishing allegations or details about the child online, and never ask the child to gather evidence or report on the other household.

Practical co-parenting after separation—where it is safe

Legal documents work best when day-to-day conduct supports the child. Where communication is safe, parents can reduce conflict by:

• using a consistent, child-focused communication channel;
• sharing important school, health and activity information promptly;
• keeping the child out of adult negotiations and financial disputes;
• avoiding criticism of the other parent in the child’s presence;
• giving reasonable notice of proposed changes;
• maintaining predictable routines while allowing age-appropriate flexibility; and
• reviewing arrangements when the child’s developmental or practical needs change.

These suggestions are not appropriate where communication creates a safety risk or is used for coercion. In those cases, structured communication, third-party handovers or protective orders may be safer.

Common child custody myths in South Australia

Myth: mothers always get custody

Reality: The law does not give mothers or fathers an automatic preference. The Court makes orders based on the particular child’s best interests.

Myth: parental responsibility means equal time

Reality: Decision-making responsibility and time arrangements are different questions. Neither creates an automatic 50/50 schedule.

Myth: a child can decide at age 12 or 14

Reality: There is no fixed age at which a child alone decides. Their views are considered alongside maturity, reasons, safety, needs and all other relevant circumstances.

Myth: a parenting plan is the same as a court order

Reality: A parenting plan records an agreement but is not itself enforceable. Consent orders are made by the Court and are binding.

Myth: the parent who pays child support buys more time

Reality: Child support and parenting arrangements are separate legal issues. The care pattern can affect a child support assessment, but payment does not purchase time and withholding payment does not justify withholding a child.

Myth: “full custody” ends the other parent’s legal role

Reality: The outcome depends on the precise orders. A child living with one parent does not automatically remove the other parent’s parental responsibility, communication or time.

When should you speak with a family lawyer?

Early advice can help even if you hope to stay out of court. Consider obtaining advice promptly when:

• you have separated and need an interim parenting arrangement;
• family violence, abuse, neglect, substance misuse or another safety concern is alleged;
• a child has not been returned or their location is unknown;
• one parent proposes to move interstate, overseas or a significant distance away;
• you have been invited to mediation or served with court documents;
• you need a parenting plan converted into consent orders;
• existing orders are no longer workable or are being breached;
• there are interstate, overseas, passport or Hague Convention issues; or
• a grandparent or other carer needs formal authority to care for the child.

A lawyer can help define the real issues, explain likely pathways, prepare a child-focused proposal, advise before Family Dispute Resolution, draft a parenting plan or consent orders, and represent you in urgent or contested proceedings.

How O’Dea Lawyers can help with parenting arrangements

O’Dea Lawyers assists parents, grandparents and carers with parenting arrangements in Adelaide and across South Australia. We can advise on negotiated agreements, parenting plans, consent orders, mediation, interim parenting disputes, final hearings, relocation, recovery orders, family violence concerns, contraventions and applications to change existing orders.

Our approach is to identify the practical outcome your child needs, explain the legal options in plain language and choose a proportionate path. Where agreement is safe and realistic, careful negotiation can reduce cost and conflict. Where urgent or contested proceedings are necessary, the evidence and proposed orders must be prepared precisely.

Frequently asked questions about child custody in SA

Is child custody in South Australia decided under state or federal law?

Most parenting matters in South Australia are decided under the federal Family Law Act 1975 in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. State child protection and intervention-order laws may also be relevant in some families.

Do mothers have more custody rights than fathers?

No automatic preference applies because someone is the mother or father. The Court considers the child’s individual best interests, including safety, needs, views, care capacity and important relationships.

Is 50/50 child custody automatic after separation?

No. There is no presumption of equal time. Equal time may be agreed or ordered if it is safe, practical and in the particular child’s best interests, but many other schedules are possible.

What age can a child decide which parent to live with?

There is no fixed age at which a child alone decides. A child’s views must be considered, but the weight given to them depends on the child’s age, maturity, understanding, reasons, safety and the wider evidence.

Do we need to go to court if we agree?

Not necessarily. You can use an informal agreement or parenting plan. If you want legally enforceable arrangements, you can apply for consent orders, often without attending a contested hearing.

Is a parenting plan legally binding?

No. A parenting plan is a written agreement but is not itself enforceable like a parenting order. It can still be considered by a court and can affect earlier orders, so obtain advice before signing one.

Do I have to attend mediation before seeking parenting orders?

Usually, yes. A section 60I certificate from a registered Family Dispute Resolution practitioner is generally required before filing a new parenting application. Exemptions can apply, including for urgency and certain safety or participation issues.

What if family violence makes mediation unsafe?

Tell the practitioner during screening and obtain legal advice. FDR should not proceed where it is inappropriate or cannot be conducted safely and effectively. You may be able to seek an exemption and urgent protective parenting orders.

Can one parent make all major decisions?

Yes, if the parents agree in appropriate terms or the Court orders one person to have sole decision-making responsibility for all or specified major long-term issues. The outcome depends on the child’s best interests and the evidence.

Can I move interstate with my child?

Do not assume you can relocate the child if the move would affect existing arrangements. Seek the other parent’s written agreement or legal advice about applying for an order before moving. A unilateral move can lead to urgent return proceedings.

Can grandparents apply for time with a child?

A grandparent or another person concerned with the child’s care, welfare and development can apply for parenting orders. There is no automatic entitlement to time; the child’s best interests remain the paramount consideration.

Can parenting orders be changed later?

Yes, by agreement and new consent orders, or sometimes through a later parenting plan after advice. Without agreement, the Court must be satisfied there has been a significant change in circumstances and that reconsideration is in the child’s best interests before revisiting final orders.

What happens if the other parent breaches a parenting order?

Keep evidence and obtain advice about compliance, enforcement, make-up time, variation or urgent orders. The Court considers whether a contravention occurred and whether there was a reasonable excuse. Penalties depend on the nature and seriousness of the breach.

Are child support and custody linked?

They are separate issues. The percentage of care can affect a child support assessment, but paying support does not buy parenting time, and a payment dispute does not ordinarily justify withholding the child.

How long does a parenting case take?

Timing varies significantly. An agreed consent-order application may be resolved on documents, while a contested case involving expert evidence and a final hearing can take much longer. Urgent interim issues may be considered earlier, but urgency must be demonstrated.

Do I need a lawyer for a child custody case in Adelaide?

You are not always required to have a lawyer, but family law is complex. Advice can help you understand the current law, choose the right form of agreement, prepare evidence and orders, and avoid steps that could affect your child or your case.

Get advice about child custody and parenting orders in SA

If you need a practical answer to how child custody works in SA, O’Dea Lawyers can assess your circumstances and explain the available next steps. We assist with parenting agreements, consent orders, Family Dispute Resolution, urgent applications and contested parenting proceedings in Adelaide and throughout South Australia.

Related family law information

• Family law services in Adelaide — the main family law service hub.
• Parenting arrangements in South Australia — support with agreements, care arrangements and parenting disputes.
• Child custody lawyer Adelaide — legal advice and representation for your individual circumstances.
• Parenting arrangements in the Adelaide family court — information about the court pathway when agreement is not possible.

This page provides general information only and is not legal advice. Parenting outcomes depend on the individual facts, evidence and current law. Seek advice about your situation, particularly where there is urgency, family violence, a proposed relocation, international travel or existing court orders.