Disputes about children:
Increasingly, parties to family law disputes are facing long delays in having their cases determined by Courts.
Although most cases settle prior to a final hearing and very few cases are decided by judges or magistrates, many people find it difficult to cope with the delays, expense and emotional stress associated with litigation.

Changes to the Family Law Act which came into effect in July 2006 now require people to attempt to settle their dispute by mediation and file a certificate with the Court to that effect before they are able to file an application seeking parenting orders.

As Tim Horsley is a registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, mediation at the Wollongong Mediation Centre complies with this requirement and certificates are available (at no additional cost) to parties who have attempted to negotiate their own agreement. Even if the other party refuses to participate, certificates may still be available to the party who seeks mediation.


Other Family Law Disputes including property settlement:
It is always worthwhile trying to settle a Family Law dispute at the earliest available opportunity. Mediation is certainly worthwhile before a case has commenced but it is often also valuable even after proceedings have started.

The Wollongong Mediation Centre welcomes the attendance of solicitors with their clients in mediation sessions, particularly in cases where proceedings have already been commenced. In appropriate cases a party can bring along a support person to a joint session, if this is agreed to by both parties.