Family law · Adelaide, SA
Verified Australian family lawyers practising in Adelaide and surrounding suburbs. Practising certificates checked against the SA register. Fees published. Methodology transparent.
Family law in Australia is governed by the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), administered by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The same federal framework applies in every state — but how it’s resolved in practice varies significantly by registry, with different waitlists, court culture, and local Family Dispute Resolution capacity.
Adelaide is the legal centre of South Australia. The Supreme Court of South Australia, District Court and Magistrates Court sit here, with the Federal Court (Adelaide Registry) covering federal matters. The Law Society of SA regulates the profession.
Regulators: Law Society of South Australia (lawsocietysa.asn.au) and SA Bar Association (sabar.org.au)
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia — Adelaide Registry (3 Angas Street).
Indicative fees drawn from our 2026 practitioner survey and published cost data. Confirm in writing with any firm before engaging — written costs disclosure is mandatory under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.
| Pathway / matter type | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Consent orders | $1,200–$2,500 combined | |
| Negotiated settlement | $5,500–$15,000 combined | |
| Contested hearing | $35,000–$95,000+ combined |
For the full family law cost breakdown across Australia, see our Family law cost guide.
Matter types we see most often in our intake from Adelaide and surrounding suburbs.
The four-step process under s79 — identifying the asset pool, assessing contributions, assessing future needs, and applying the just-and-equitable test. Most matters resolve through consent orders or mediation; only ~30% reach a contested hearing (AIFS 2024).
Live-with, spend-time and parental-responsibility arrangements. The 2024 amendments removed the equal-shared-parental-responsibility presumption — the court now decides on the child’s best interests with no statutory starting point.
Pre-nuptial, post-nuptial and separation BFAs under Part VIIIA. Used to provide certainty without court involvement, though both parties must take independent advice and the agreement can be set aside in narrow circumstances.
Filed after 12 months of separation. Sole or joint application, $1,060 filing fee (concession $355). Usually a 1–3 month process and rarely requires personal court attendance.
Spousal maintenance under Part VIII; child support administered separately through Services Australia. Property and parenting orders frequently include maintenance terms.
Apprehended Violence Orders, Intervention Orders and equivalent state-based protective orders. Often run concurrently with parenting and property matters.
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