What is divorce?

Divorce means the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court.

Australia has established the principle of no-fault divorce in Australian law. When granting a divorce, the court does not consider why the marriage ended and the only ground for divorce is that the marriage has broken down irretrievably and there is no reasonable likelihood that the parties will get back together.

If there are children aged under the age of 18 years, the court can only grant a divorce if it is satisfied that proper arrangements have been made for them.

Find out more:

• Divorce proceedings
• Courts dealing with divorce

Where to go for assistance:

• The Law Society of NSW - Solicitor Referral Service; 170 Phillip Street, Sydney NSW 2000; (02) 9926 0300, or 1800 422 713 (outside Sydney); crs@lawsociety.com.au
• Legal Aid; (02) 9219 5880
• Federal Circuit Court; (02) 9217 7136
• Family Law National Enquiry Centre; 1300 352 000
• Law Access; 1300 888 529

Find out more at LawfullyExplained.com.au

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