OUR SERVICES
Family & Divorce Law
Our experienced family lawyers in Adelaide provide clear, practical advice for divorce, separation, child custody, and property settlements.
Contact our family law team today to arrange a confidential consultation and discuss your situation.
Breaking down family law, lifting you back up.
A relationship breakdown is hard, no matter how you look at it. As experts in family law and mediation, we help ease the emotional and financial burdens of relationship breakdowns.
Led by partner Kara Palombo, our Adelaide family law team brings a unique, compassionate approach combined with comprehensive experience appearing in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. We work closely with you to protect your interests, your property, and your number one priority: your children.
Divorce
It doesn’t matter if it was ‘mutual’ or totally unexpected, the last thing you both want is a drawn out, emotionally draining divorce.
With discretion and compassion, we’ll guide you through the process of separation and prepare your divorce application so you can move on — without the unnecessary stress or delay.
Children’s Living Arrangements
You can place a certain value on property. But you can’t put a price on the welfare of your children at a time when protecting them means everything.
Our mission as experienced family lawyers is to minimise the disruption, delay and emotional stress that often goes hand in hand with disputes over living arrangements.
Property Settlements
Through negotiation and alternative dispute resolution, we ensure you first consider the most cost effective — and often fastest — course of action when the heightened emotions of a relationship breakdown are telling you to ‘take it to court’.
We assist with the division of joint matrimonial assets, superannuation splitting, and drafting legally binding Financial Agreements to secure your financial future.
Deegan Law provides compassionate family law and divorce representation across the Adelaide metropolitan area, as well as our regional offices in Berri, Tanunda, and surrounding country areas.
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Family & Divorce Law
Frequently Asked Questions
What other family matters can Deegan Law assist with?
Deegan Law can also provide advice and assist with the following family related matters
- Child support
- Guardianship of children
- Grandparent’s rights
- Spousal maintenance
- Binding Financial Agreements before, during and after a relationship
I am separating from my partner and he/she has threatened to take the house and kids, is that possible?
It depends on the circumstances of your family, including the length of your relationship, the age of your children (or if you have children at all) and your future needs.
Assets will be divided depending on the following:
- Who had what at the beginning of the relationship;
- Who contributed what during the relationship – both financial and non-financial;
- Any debts incurred and for what purpose;
- Who is going to care for the children in the future; and
- Your future needs and the needs of the children.
The time the children spend with each parent will depend on their age, maturity and the practicably of a shared care arrangement.
My partner and I separated and we have come to an agreement privately, what can we do now?
You will need a legally binding document to protect yourself in the future.
If you have an agreement you can either apply to the Family Court of Australia for Consent Minutes of Order (personally or through a lawyer) or instruct a solicitor to draft a Binding Financial Agreement.
Consent Minutes and Binding Financial Agreements outline the agreement reached. Both options bring to an end your and your partner’s property claims against the other.
My ex-partner is threatening to take me to court but I want to try mediation, can he/she do that?
The Court requires people to try mediation or Family Dispute Resolution before initiating proceedings in either the Federal Circuit or Family Courts. When you file an application you must file a certificate from a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner.
There are some exceptions, however we will always suggest that you try to resolve the matter before going to Court.
How long do you have to be separated before applying for a divorce in Adelaide?
Under Australian law, you must be separated from your spouse for a minimum of 12 months with no reasonable likelihood of reconciliation before you can formally file a divorce application.
What is the difference between a private agreement and a Consent Order?
While a private agreement rests on mutual trust, it is not legally enforceable. To secure your future, an experienced family lawyer can help you formalise your agreement into Consent Orders through the Family Court of Australia, making it legally binding.
Do we have to go to court to settle our property division?
Not necessarily. At Deegan Law, our primary focus is always on alternative dispute resolution and structured negotiation. We aim to secure a fair property settlement out of court first, saving you unnecessary emotional and financial stress.
Our office locations
Adelaide
99 Kensington Road, Norwood SA 5067
Barossa
Shop 5, 7 Gawler Street, Nuriootpa SA 5355
Riverland
Tamblyn House, 17 Vaughan Tce, Berri SA 5343