6 weeks to go! Don’t miss the deadline to finalise parenting arrangements for Christmas and December/January school holidays
by Jasmine Evans
11 November 2022 cut-off date
It’s time to make sure that you put in place your parenting arrangements for the Christmas period and December/January school holidays.
The cut-off date to file court applications this year is 4.00pm on Friday 11 November 2022.
Reaching an agreement
Summer holidays and the Christmas period are a special time for children and parents. It can also be a very difficult and stressful time for separated families who are still navigating their way through the family law system.
Parents need to think about:
- When the school holidays period starts and ends and the arrangements that will be in place over December and January.
- What arrangements you want in place for the Christmas period including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. This includes making sure there is a smooth transition in place for children to changeover to the other parent’s care if you are sharing these special days.
- Whether any holidays are planned with family and making sure both parents agree to any proposed travel either overseas or interstate.
If you can’t reach an agreement
If no agreement can be reached about the Christmas and December/ January school holidays then you need to act quickly. It is important to note that parents must take steps to try to resolve a parenting dispute, including trying to resolve the dispute at Family Dispute Resolution conference or Mediation, before they make an application to the Court for parenting orders. For information about these ‘pre-action procedures’ please click on this link to our summary of these important steps.
If you file an application seeking parenting orders relating to the Christmas period after the deadline, your application will be allocated the next available hearing date in the usual way, which is likely to be after the Christmas period.
Don’t leave it too late! Contact the MDL Family Law Team today to make sure your arrangements are in place for a smooth and happy festive period.
