This matter was related to property settlement in a case of marriage breakdown, which was heavily contingent upon:

Background

Findings by Judge Street held that:

Orders

The court ordered several things, some of which include the following:

This ruling confirms the following:

Over the course of a week, I’ve learnt and improved many valuable skills at Freedman & Gopalan Solicitors like organisation, initiative and independence. I worked with a wonderful team who were able to teach me new skills and introduce me to the professional world of law. I was able to work in a professional environment that was nurturing and allowed me to gain insight into the different aspects of law.

During my work placement I was given challenging tasks that allowed me to work on skills like multi-tasking and organisation. Although I struggled at times, it was extremely rewarding to finish tasks that I knew were tough. The team at Freedman & Gopalan were also extremely willing to always help and had no issues giving me extra help when I needed it. Some tasks were repetitive at first but after understanding the importance of them it became more interesting. For example, scanning was a very tedious process but understanding that they were important legal documents that we couldn’t just throw away made me think about the importance of these legal documents and the role they played in this environment. Understanding how billing and invoices worked was a skill I can now apply to my general life and work environments and I’m grateful I got to learn in such a patient workplace. Being able to participate and complete law related tasks gave me a great insight into tasks I would have to complete in a professional law environment.

The experience and valuable knowledge I’ve learnt in such a short time will stick with me for life and I look forward to putting them into practice in the coming years. I’m extremely grateful for the time, guidance and support the team Freedman & Gopalan have given me and I will cherish the experience. Coming into such a welcoming environment helped me feel extremely comfortable asking questions and learning about a possible career path in the future. This experience with Freedman & Gopalan Solicitors has reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in law and motivated me to continue developing these skills for my future career.

 

The domestic violences laws in Australia are not strong enough to fully address the issue. one in four women and one in fourteen men experienced intimate partner violence since age 15 have been affected each year. As the Australian government tried to set new laws and protections to this issue, but some people believe that the laws are not still strong enough that are still high rates of violence, the increasing number of homicides.

Some victims often face long time to hear their cases heard, leaving them unprotected. Protection orders are sometimes breached and polices responses can be sometimes delayed, leaving victims scared and vulnerable. While Physical violences is prioritized, emotional, phycological and financial abuses are harder to find making the cases harder.

Experts and government have recognized this crisis and taken new steps to stop it. Assisting people who are facing domestic issues in their family or any other place, teaching students about domestic violence issues but is this enough to stop it.  No, they need to take more steps such as, Australia needs consistent enforcements and enough support services so victims should feel confident that the orders will be taken seriously and courts will have better resourced to hear cases. New laws should be evolving to recognize all forms of abuse and treated with seriousness they deserve.

Since the COVID pandemic, contemporary forms of technologies have revolutionized
many aspects of society, one of these being the legal profession. In particular, “virtual
courtrooms” (or electronic hearings) have become popularized after face-to-face
hearings became increasingly difficult to operate due to safety guidelines and
restrictions. However, recently there has been significant discourse regarding this
practice’s drawbacks and advantages, and even whether this COVID-era conception
should even continue.

Positively speaking, virtual courtrooms are extremely useful for participants that are
affected with mobility issues or live far away from a physical courtroom. Due to their
digitally accessible nature, even participants with family commitments or financial
strain can be able to attend a court hearing, increasing equitable access to justice for
those who live in regional areas, accessing courts remotely increases equal access to
justice opportunities

However, technology is a double-edged sword, especially when referring to the
technological gap on people in disadvantaged, low socio-economic or minority groups.
For example, technology can impose severe restrictions on accessing opportunities for
justice on individuals living in rural areas or with poor internet connection. Furthermore,
technological issues can directly impact the efficiency and legitimacy of the hearing, as
audio or visual impairments can delay trials, degrade the quality of important evidence
to be presented and exacerbate the stress of all parties.

In serious cases, online courtrooms are vulnerable to hackers or cyber-attacks, that can
severely compromise the integrity and privacy of the trial. There is no doubt that as
technology becomes increasingly advanced, infiltrators and malware will too, and we
need to find an effective method to address this looming threat.
Before, integrating virtual courtrooms fully into our justice system, it is imperative to
address concerns regarding the digital divide and technological issues to ensure that
our trials stay impartial, equitable and functional.

My week at Freedman and Gopalan has given me an incredibly valuable insight into the daily operations of a legal firm and what it means to work in a professional environment. Through tasks such as filing, scanning, organising documents, taking calls, writing emails and articles, I was able to see how much attention to detail and communication goes into maintaining an efficient workplace. Being trusted with real responsibilities helped me build confidence and develop skills I didn’t have before, and it made me develop many helpful skills I didn’t have before, and it made the whole experience feel meaningful rather than just observational.

What made the experience even more enjoyable was the team at the firm. The staff were incredibly supportive, patient, and welcoming from the moment I arrived. They worked closely together, communicated openly, and created an environment where I felt comfortable asking questions and learning from them. Their encouragement and willingness to guide me made a huge difference, and I’m genuinely grateful for how included they made me feel throughout the week. This placement has motivated me to keep exploring the legal field and appreciate the impact that a positive work environment can have. I am extremely happy with how my placement turned out, and I would definitely do it again if I got the chance.

Domestic violence is an ongoing problem in Australia with around 1 in 4 women (23%) and 1 in 14 men (7.3%) having experienced violence by an intimate partner since age 15. The holidays are often a break from work and the stress of a busy life. But for those in toxic and unsafe households, holidays can become even more dangerous than normal.

During holidays the heightened stress and expectations can increase tensions in relationships and families. Alcohol consumption and substance abuse becomes more prevalent and increases the risk of abuse. Isolation and breaks during the holidays can limit access to support and can encourage abuse as victims have no escape.

Alcohol consumption is often encouraged in social gatherings, which can make abusers feel a heightened sense of power and control allowing their behaviour to be excused. For victims of domestic violence, holiday social events come with fear rather than excitement and the anticipation for their abusers volatile and unpredictable behaviour.

We often feel the pressures of social obligations to buy expensive gifts, prepare elaborate meals and create a perfect holiday experience. This pressure often brings increased anxiety and frustration which can intensify existing tensions in families and relationships triggering abusive behaviours. Victims feel the weight of this pressure knowing expectations around these gatherings go well beyond the food.

Holidays are often a time we are all with our own families celebrating the joys of special events. Although ironic, for victims of domestic violence holidays can be extremely isolating. The pressures to be with family can often prevent victims from reaching out for help from their friends and family. Not only are victims emotionally isolated, but they can also be physically isolated as many healthcare and support centres are closed or have limited hours due to the holidays. Abusers can often take advantage of these circumstances pushing their victims into corner they can’t escape.

On New Years Day, domestic violence incidents doubled from a median of 72 to 152 incidents.  On Christmas, the average number of recorded family violence incidents rose by 33% and on New Years Eve more than 45% more domestic violence assaults than a typical day. These statistics reveal that holidays are not always joyful for everyone, and they call for greater awareness for domestic violence.

Whether it is taking on your partner’s last name or wanting to legalise your nickname, below are the implications of changing your name.

 

Documentation

Changing your name means that you must update your personal records with multiple organisations including but not limited to:

· Australian Passport Office

· Transport for NSW

· banks

· Australian Taxation Office

· Australian Electoral Commission

· NSW Electoral commission

· Medicare

· insurance companies

· doctors/dentists

· superannuation funds.

 

Change of Name Certificate

If you are planning on changing your name, this one document will become forever useful. In order for the above listed organisations to approve your new documentation, a change of name certificate, or equivalent, will most likely be required.

 

Changing your name after marriage? – its free!

Changing multiple important documentation gets expensive. Luckily, for marriage related surname changes, it's not necessary to pay the fee for an official change of name. Most government departments accept your official marriage certificate as proof of your name.

Your surname options include the following:

· you can take your partner’s surname

· your partner can take your surname

· you can combine your name and your partner’s name with a hyphen.

 

Overall, changing your name has serious legal implications and all respective organisations need to be well informed to ensure that your personal identity is standardised and updated.

The Christmas and holiday season is often a joyful occasion however, it can be stressful and difficult for separated families who are co-parenting their children. Currently, there is no statute in New South Wales that regulates Christmas arrangements for separated families. Rather, the Court believes that it is in the child's best interest to have personal relationships with both parents after separation and thus, parents should try and reach an amicable agreement that allows the child to spend quality time with both of them over the Christmas and holiday season.

Separated parents who have a Court Order in place must ensure that those Orders are strictly followed and adhered to. However, if the parents do not have a Court Order in place, they should come to an agreement in advance so that both parents can make plans, and the child is aware of how their holidays will be spent. In making such agreements, parents should primarily be concerned with the welfare of their child but can also consider other factors such as the child’s age, wishes or feelings, and also the practicality of handing over the child to the other parent, including the distance between both parent’s houses.

One common arrangement between separated parents is sharing Christmas Day. The child would stay with Parent A during Christmas Eve and until Christmas morning, before being handed to Parent B for Christmas lunch, dinner and night. This works best for parents who live in close proximity to one another, allowing for smooth handovers with least disruption to the children.

Another arrangement is for the child to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Parent A, and then Boxing Day and 27 December with Parent B. As with the above arrangement, this is more appropriately suited for families where both parents live within a relatively short distance to one another.

Alternatively, for parents who do not live close to one another, multiple handovers around the holiday season may not be practical and instead, may cause additional stress and difficulties. In such situations, parents may choose to divide the days which their child is on holidays for in half, and each parent spends half of the child’s holidays with them, before handing them to the other parent for the remainder of the holidays.

With the rapid expansion of social media use throughout not only Australia, but the rest
of the world, social media platforms have become one of the most common places that
defamatory materials are shared. Platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly
twitter) allow information to spread almost instantly, often without careful
consideration about the consequences. Under Australian law, online publications are
treated in the same way as traditional forms of social media. As a result, a single post,
comment, or message may expose an individual to legal action if the content is harmful
to any individuals or entities. With the recent introduction of the under-16s social media
ban in Australia being implemented by the 10th of December 2025, the amount of social
media users will significantly change how frequently defamatory content is created,
shared, or challenged online.

What is Defamation?
In the context of social media, defamation is the act of making false statements about
an individual or entity that can harm their reputation and it could occur through various
forms of online communication. The key elements of defamation include; The false
statement (the statement made must be untrue), publication (the statement must have
been communicated or seen by a third party, meaning that it has been posted or
shared), and harm (this statement must have been causing harm to reputation of the
individual or entity being targeted by the claims). On social media, defamation could
include posts or captions, comments, private messages that are forwarded,
screenshots, stories, reviews or reposts/shared content. Once a material is shared, it is
seen as ‘published’, even if the audience is small.

Why are defamation cases increasing?
Australia has seen steady growth in defamation actions in recent years, largely due to
online communications. Everyday disputes, workplace tensions, and interpersonal
conflicts now often play out publicly on social platforms. Combined with the
accessibility of posting, the speed of content circulation and the misunderstanding of
legal consequences, more individuals are unintentionally placing themselves at risk of
legal liability.

What are the consequences of defamation?
For the affected individual or entity, defamatory statements can damage their
reputation, relationships, and professional opportunities, often causing long term social
or career consequences. Legally, they can seek compensatory damages, or formal
apologies under the Defamation Act 2005 (cth). For the offender, consequences include
paying damages, covering legal costs, issuing public retractions, and potential
reputational harm. These legal and social outcomes highlight the importance of
responsible communication, particularly online, where statements can spread rapidly
and widely.

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