De Facto Facts: Your Rights (and Risks) in Family Law

Think sharing a Netflix account and a mortgage makes you just “roommates with benefits”? Under Australian family law, it probably makes you partners in de facto relationships —with all the rights and obligations of a married couple. 

In this episode of Mediation Matters, we unpack exactly what de facto status means, how the courts decide whether you’ve crossed the line from dating to domestic partnership, and—most importantly—how mediation can keep you out of a back-logged courtroom and in control of your own future. 

🔍 Inside you’ll learn: 

• The legal checklist the courts use to label a relationship de facto (hint: it’s more than the two-year rule).
• Property & superannuation stakes: why “what’s mine is yours” suddenly applies—and how to divide the asset pool fairly.
• Children & parenting arrangements: identical rules to marriage, but often smoother through mediation.
• Time-bomb deadlines: the two-year window to start a property claim after separation.
• Binding Financial Agreements & Consent Orders: how a mediated deal becomes iron-clad under the Family Law Act.

⚖️ Why listen?
 

The family-law courts are bursting with a 30,000-case backlog. Family Law Mediation offers a faster, cheaper, less stressful path—and places the decision-making power back in your hands, not a judge’s.

Ready for clarity? Book your free initial consultation with Mediations Australia and map out your best next step—before the clock (and your patience) runs out.

Need Mediators ? Contact the team at Mediations Australia. This podcast has been produced by Law Firm Marketing Experts, Practice Proof

All podcasts have been prepared by the Family Law Mediation experts, Mediations Australia for informational purposes only. The content shared does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. While we strive to ensure the information is accurate and current, Mediations Australia makes no guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or currency of any information provided.

You should seek independent legal advice or other appropriate professional advice specific to your individual circumstances.

The information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a mediator–client, lawyer–client, or any other professional relationship between you and Mediations Australia.

Information provided may not reflect the most current legal or professional developments.