Failure to replace judges, surge in domestic violence cases straining Federal Circuit Court

The family law jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia is at breaking point, according to the legal profession, fuelled by a surge in domestic violence reporting and the ice scourge gripping regional areas.

Lawyers in New South Wales say it is the failure of the Federal Government to replace judges that is causing the strained system to implode in Wollongong, Sydney and Parramatta.

The Federal Circuit Court has confirmed it is considering moving judges that sit in Wollongong and Parramatta to Sydney.

“This is not something the court wants to do but retirements in Sydney and Parramatta have left the court with insufficient resources for an ever-increasing and more complex workload,” Chief Judge John Pascoe said.

Read more at ABC

Article by Emily Laurence