At Thomson Family Lawyers our divorce lawyers’ are experts in the legal separation process, and can provide advice in respect of making or responding to applications for divorce. We specialise in assisting separating couples to navigate and resolve the problems that often arise during this difficult time.

Our Divorce Lawyers

Meet the Lawyers & Solicitors specialising in divorce here at Thomson Family Lawyers: Serina Thomson, Emily Fanderlinden, Portia Winkler, Gloria Ong & Gillian Hodge.

Contact us for a consultation on your matter relating to divorce or separation. Serina & the team are here to help!

Affordable Legal Representation

We understand that the divorce process can be extremely costly. Here at Thomson Family Lawyers, we pride ourselves on being amongst the most affordable divorce lawyers in Perth, with reasonable fees and the promise to help you save money where and when we can.

Please be aware that a divorce or court-ordered separation does not resolve any parenting or financial matters.

All property settlement, division of finances, child support agreements and other related matters require a separate application, which your Thomson Family divorce lawyer can also assist with.

How Much Does it Cost to Get a Divorce?

To obtain a divorce in the state of Western Australia you need to obtain a divorce order from The Family Court of Western Australia.

The Family Court of Western Australia charge a filing fee for an Application for Divorce.  As at 1 July 2021, the fee is $940 and, in limited circumstances, you may be eligible for a fee reduction. The Family Court of Western Australia reviews its fees each year on 1 July.

The Applicant will meet the costs associated with the Application for Divorce.  However, for jointly filed applications, the parties may agree that the costs will be shared.

The total costs of obtaining a divorce will also includes the legal fees you pay to advise you, to prepare and undertake the administration of the divorce application, and to represent you in legal proceedings before the Family Court.

How can I obtain a Divorce Order if I have no money?
Whilst the Family Court of Western Australia charge a filing fee for an Application for Divorce, there are limited circumstances in which you can apply for a fee reduction, where you are entitled to a Concession, or otherwise, on the basis of financial hardship.

This will require you to complete an application and provide information to the Court about your financial circumstances.  A request for a fee reduction based on hardship requires provision of an application with detailed information about your financial position.

The Family Court of Western Australia does not provide a fee exemption, for Applications for Divorce, but may approve a reduction to the filing fee, if you meet the necessary criteria.

Can I apply for a Divorce Order without a Lawyer?
Whilst you are likely to be able to prepare your Application for Divorce without too much difficulty, many clients will find difficulties in correctly serving documents, as well as filing the necessary further service documents that the Court requires, to enable the Court to make the Divorce Order on the hearing date.

Therefore, you should seek legal advice when filing an Application for Divorce, to ensure that your Application is accepted by the Court and the Order is granted at the first hearing.

The Legal Application Process

If you do not correctly serve the Application for Divorce on your spouse, or if you do not file the necessary corroborating service documents that are required, your hearing will be adjourned to allow you more time to do this.

Accordingly, if you wish to obtain your Divorce Order at the earliest opportunity, legal advice will assist you in ensuring that you are correctly taking all steps required, before your Divorce Hearing date.

Consult Our Team

Our Divorce Lawyers at Thomson Family Lawyers can assist you in this process.  Contact our family law team today on (08) 6444 9911 to arrange an obligation free Initial Consultation to discuss your Divorce matters.

What is Involved in Getting a Divorce?

To obtain an Order for Divorce, the parties must be separated for at least 12 months.

Often, parties may dispute the date on which separation occurred and this can result in the Family Court declining to grant your Divorce Order, if certain criteria are not met.  It is important that you seek legal advice from a Divorce Lawyer when seeking to apply for a Divorce.

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There are also other requirements that the Court must consider, such as those which arise in short marriages as specified in the Family Law Act 1975.

How do I serve a divorce application?

If service of the divorce application is completed incorrectly, or if the further service corroboration documents are not completed and filed correctly, this may delay the Court’s ability to process your Application and grant your Divorce Order.

As the Applicant, you cannot personally serve an Application for Divorce on your spouse.  There are many options available, including some that come at no cost, or otherwise, engaging the services offered by Process Servers for a set fee, when serving your Application for Divorce.

Divorce Timing Requirements

It is important that you understand the timing requirements of service and the specific procedures involved when serving an Application for Divorce, to ensure that you can demonstrate to the Court that you have complied with the requirements for service.

If you attend the hearing for your Application for Divorce, but have not completed service correctly, your Application will be adjourned to a later date, to allow for you to correctly undertake such processes.

Avoid Common Pitfalls

Accordingly, seeking legal advice from a Divorce Lawyer can help you to avoid the common pitfalls that arise.

Our commitment is to a deep knowledge of family and divorce law, to guide you through the legal process, and to provide you with the best divorce lawyers and legal services for your situation.

At Thomson Family Lawyers, our Divorce Lawyers can assist you in navigating this process and we can take the stress out of applying for a Divorce in the Family Court of Western Australia.


What our Clients are saying:

Serina and her team were amazing. I cried when the magistrate passed judgment because I didn’t think it was even possible to rule in my favour. But Serina did and she made it happen. My parenting and financial matters are now fully resolved and I am so incredibly happy with the result. Thank you Serina” – Stu Bacca


How to Choose Good Perth Divorce Lawyers

  1. Obtain Legal Advice as soon as possible

Separation can be a difficult and emotional time.  However, there are time limitations that apply for financial settlement matters and these are directly related to Divorce matters.

Therefore, if you are separated and are seeking to obtain a Divorce Order, be sure to obtain legal advice from a family lawyer as soon as possible. This will clarify your rights and options.

There are also matters that arise following a Divorce and you may need to consider issues such as your Will, after a Divorce Order is made.  Our Divorce Lawyers at Thomson Family Lawyers are here to help.

  1. Seek Legal Advice from a Lawyer who practices exclusively in Family Law

Divorce matters can sometimes be complex and it is essential that you receive advice from a lawyer who specialises in Family Law and practices exclusively in the area of Family Law.  At Thomson Family Lawyers, all our lawyers practice exclusively in Family Law and have a wealth of experience working in the Family Court with Divorce cases.

Family Law Divorce Advice

If you have separated, or are considering separation or divorce, then our de facto separation and divorce lawyers can help. We’ve helped hundreds of Perth couples separate harmoniously and always treat each case with individuality, as no two divorce cases are ever the same.

Why Marriages End

There are many reasons for divorce. Sadly marriages end and separation is necessary. In the event your marriage has ended and it’s been 12 months since the separation, you can apply for divorce. Applications for divorce can be made in one of two ways.

  1. If the separation is amicable, a joint application made by both you and your former spouse can be submitted.
  2. However, this is not always the case and in situations where one party refuses to cooperate, one person may file for divorce and the papers will then be served to the other party.

Legal Advice for other Relationships

De facto relationships are those where partners share a marriage-like relationship. Under law, a de facto relationship is treated in a very similar way to marriage.

Unlike marriage, those in a de facto relationship don’t need a divorce application because when their relationship breaks down, they don’t need to apply for divorce.

However, the relationship with your former partner can still require assistance from divorce lawyers in Perth. With matters relating to property and assets, child support, spousal maintenance and more.

From the initial consultation, dealing with your family law matters through to the completion of the legal process, trust our team of Perth divorce lawyers.

Divorce vs. Separation

When parties to a marriage separate, there are many aspects of the separation that require attention and must be proven to the court before a divorce is granted. These may include living arrangements, care plans for any children of the marriage (under 18 years) and evidence of the separation period.

Often, especially in cases where the separation is not amicable, proving these factors to the court can be difficult. Our divorce lawyers specialise in helping Perth couples meet the legal requirements to divorce and prepare all the necessary documents for the hearing.

Property Settlement Following Divorce

Family law matters cover more than just the process of separation and divorce. Dealing with the division of assets and resources is an important aspect of the separation and divorce process that requires expert legal advice from experienced divorce lawyers.

Our Approach to Property Issues

We as a family law practice resolve to work in your best interests. As such we take time to fully understand your situation, including assets, debts and other financial resources. We look at the intended division of those assets.

Finally, we consider if any financial agreements or other proper arrangements are needing to be put in place. The sound legal advice of our experienced family lawyers ensures you benefit from our legal knowledge.

Other Family and Divorce Law Matters

Family law issues are broad. Family law covers the lead up to the divorce hearing, finalisation of the divorce, but also so much more.

We Provide a Broad Range of Legal Services

Speaking to a family lawyer can ensure we provide professional advice in your best interests, for other family law matters such as:

  • spousal maintenance
  • parenting arrangements
  • financial settlements
  • domestic violence
  • child support and child custody matters
  • application for consent orders
  • preparation for a court hearing and much more.

This is why divorce lawyers deal with much more than just a marriage breakdown or relationship breakdown. With Thomson Family Lawyers, you always deal with an experienced lawyer with extensive legal knowledge for the right legal advice.

Why Choose Thomson Family Lawyers

We understand finding your way through a breakdown in your relationship can be upsetting and confusing. How do you choose a family lawyer to represent you, to get you the best possible outcome?

We believe we have the track record that makes our name the name you can trust for your family law matters.

1. We are Members of FLPA

The FLPA is the Family Law Practitioners Association. Our team are members of FLPA, participating in various professional development events, ensuring we keep our finger on the pulse of Family Law

2. We are a Team

Thomson Family Lawyers is a team of solicitors and support staff with extensive experience, dedicated to obtaining the very best solution-focussed outcomes for all our clients.

3. We have a great track record

Many of our satisfied clients have left us reviews and recommendations expressing their gratitude to our team, that we were able to achieve the best outcome for them.

We are confident, that regardless of your legal matter, the team at Thomson Family Lawyers can greatly assist you.

Speak to Us Today

Thomson Family Lawyers’ team of divorce lawyers understand that this is a highly emotional and often frustrating stage in your life. This is why we always strive to provide calm, objective legal advice, and always aim to resolve your divorce matters in the fastest, most stress-free manner possible.

We offer legal services to help you get the best outcome. Entrust your family law matter to us.

Contact us for a confidential discussion to speak to one of our divorce or de facto separation lawyers, on (08) 6444 9911.

Book Your Initial Consultation

At Thomson Family Lawyers, we’re committed to providing all of our clients with the same high level of service, excellence and care they deserve.

We understand engaging with a family lawyer can be a difficult and confusing time, which is why we’re here to help.

If you need to speak to one of our family lawyers in Perth, book your consultation today!

For international or interstate clients, appointments can be made via telephone.

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(08) 6444 9911