Outcome 2
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1)
The FCFCOA (Division 1) is a superior court of record and a court of law and equity established by Parliament in 1975 under Chapter III of the Constitution. The objective of the FCFCOA (Division 1) is, through its specialist judges, registrars and staff, to assist Australians to resolve their most complex family disputes by deciding matters according to the law, promptly, courteously and effectively.
The FCFCOA (Division 1) exercises original and appellate jurisdiction in family law, including in a number of highly specialised areas. From 1 September 2021, the Court’s original jurisdiction is enlivened by the transfer of cases from the FCFCOA (Division 2). These matters include those with the most complex law, facts and parties, and hears cases arising under the regulations implementing the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
The Court provides national coverage as the appellate court in family law matters, including hearing appeals from decisions of single judges of the Court, from judges of the FCFCOA (Division 2) in family law matters, the Family Court of Western Australia, and state and territory courts exercising family law jurisdiction. The Court maintains registries in all states and territories except Western Australia, including in regional locations.
The Chief Justice is responsible for managing the business and administrative affairs of the Court, assisted by the Deputy Chief Justice. The Chief Justice is assisted by CEO and Principal Registrar, who is appointed by the Governor-General on the nomination of the Chief Justice.
| Purpose | Through its specialist judges, registrars, and staff, assist Australians to resolve their most complex family disputes and family law appeals by deciding such matters according to the law, safely, promptly, and effectively |
|---|---|
| Outcome | Apply and uphold the rule of law for litigants in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) through the just, safe, efficient and timely resolution of family law matters, particularly more complex family law matters including appeals, according to law, through the encouragement of appropriate dispute resolution processes through the effective management of the administrative affairs of the Court |
| Program | The exercise of the jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) |
| Key activities |
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| Performance measure | Timely completion of cases |
Targets
| Targets | 2026–27 | 2027–28 | 2028–29 | 2029–30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Target 180–90% of final order applications resolved within 12 months | 80–90% of final order applications resolved within 12 months | 80–90% of final order applications resolved within 12 months | 80–90% of final order applications resolved within 12 months | 80–90% of final order applications resolved within 12 months |
Target 275% of all judgments delivered within 3 months | 75% of all judgments delivered within 3 months | 75% of all judgments delivered within 3 months | 75% of all judgments delivered within 3 months | 75% of all judgments delivered within 3 months |
Measure type and assessment
Target 1 and target 2 will be measured by reference to quantitative data, which must be considered in the context of the Court's work. Refer to caveats section.
Rationale/context
Target 1 measures the percentage of final order applications that are resolved in less than 12 months from the date they are transferred from the FCFCOA (Division 2), which enlivens the Court’s original jurisdiction. This will assist the Court to monitor the efficient resolution of disputes, to ensure families are receiving timely access to justice.
Target 2 measures the percentage of judgments that are delivered within three months of the date of the hearing to which they relate, to ensure the Court is resolving matters in a timely way where that resolution requires the delivery of orders and reasons for judgment.
Methodology/source
Target 1 will be measured by reference to the percentage of final order applications finalised within the financial year that have been finalised within 12 months of their transfer.
Target 2 will be measured by reference to the time taken between the conclusion of the hearing/ submissions and the date the reasons for judgment are delivered, and the percentage of those judgments that are delivered within three months, out of all judgments delivered during the financial year.
Caveats
The proportion of cases finalised within 12 months as a measure is more appropriately considered in terms of the family law caseload across both the FCFCOA (Division 1) and the FCFCOA (Division 2), rather than each court separately. It has always been the Courts’ expectation that at least 10 to 15 per cent of the total family law caseload across both courts would take longer to resolve than 12 months, whether due to complexity, issues of risk, related proceedings in other courts, or the necessity for an interim arrangement to be trialled for a period of time under the supervision of the Court. The reality is that the majority of these complex cases that require additional time are likely to be heard in the FCFCOA (Division 1), and hence target 1 may not be met individually in this Court.
Detail and rationale of changes since the 2025–26 Corporate Plan
Nil.
