The court has ordered my ex-wife to bring my children to a meeting with a Family Consultant and I understand that my she and I will need to talk to this consultant too. We have tried mediation and that went nowhere. I am really busy and this court case is taking up too much of my time already. Do I really need to go to this appointment?
Lawyer Answers (1): Answers from lawyers are general preliminary responses. They are not formal legal advice and cannot taken account of all your circumstances. They do not create a lawyer–client relationship.
Answer by Pearl Beaumont, Penrith 2570 NSW
- Yes. You do have to attend visits with a Family Consultant if you are ordered to.
- It is probably a good idea to talk to your lawyer about your concerns well before the appointment.
- If you do not speak with the Family Consultant then they will not be able to get a full picture of all the issues and will not get any understanding about you and your side of the story. This means they will not be able to make any substantial recommendations about you in their report.
- Without this information it may be more difficult for a magistrate to make the orders that you want for spending time with your children.