The Victoria Legal Aid Site

The VLA Handbook

If you undertake Legal Aid work, you must familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions of Legal Aid.
The VLA Handbook sets out how to apply for a grant of legal assistance  and the guidelines and conditions of receiving a grant. It also explains the payment structures for private lawyers.

You can download each chapter (as listed) separately and view an index of their contents
1. Victoria Legal Aid
2. Qualifying for Legal Assistance
3. Applying for Legal Assistance
4. Conditions of Assistance
5. Private Practitioners and Legal Aid
6. Payments for Private Practitioners
7. Reconsiderations, Reviews, Complaints & Disputes
8. Other Providers of Legal Aid
Family Law Broadbanding
Fee changes
Legal aid application form
Legal aid financial statement
Lump sum claim forms
Private Practitioner (MC) Duty Lawyer Scheme forms
Section 29A Panels
Simplified Grants Process (SGP)

Perhaps the main document there is the Legal Aid application form. The link takes you to a wealth of information regarding making an application for Legal Aid.

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Publications

Below is a list of publications of relevance to Family Law matters. I suspect that the first one will become more popular with the Shared Parenting regime coming into play from 1 July 2006. This is due to the fact that the presumption of Shared Parenting is rebutted by reason of domestic violence - evidenced by obtaining an Intervention Order.

Applying for an Intervention Order
Publication explaining the court procedure to apply for an Intervention Order in the Magistrates' Court.

Child Representation
Information for parents and workers outlining the role of the child representative in the Family Court.

Child support and paternity testing
This booklet explains how child support works and how to prove paternity.

Child Support Legal Service
Brochure about VLA’s Child Support Legal Service and the assistance that VLA can provide to parents who have problems obtaining or paying child support or child maintenance.

Claiming child support
Information sheet for parents who want to take steps to claim child support.

Client service charter
Brochure outlining VLA's service charter - what you can expect from us and what we expect from you when you use our services.

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Family Law series: Children
A do-it-yourself kit to help you prepare a family law case and represent yourself in court.

Family Law Service
Brochure about VLA Family Law Service and the assistance VLA can provide to people who have a family law dispute.

Paternity Testing
Brochure on getting proof of identity of the father of a child.

RDM - Information for lawyers
Booklet outling RDM's processes and services for lawyers.

RDM - Roundtable Dispute Management
Client information brochure -This brochure provides clients with information about the services RDM offers to assist families resolve their family law dispute.

RDM fact sheet 01
Family violence.

RDM fact sheet 02
Adults and separation.

RDM fact sheet 03
Children and separation.

RDM fact sheet 04
Parenting after separation

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RDM fact sheet 05  - Round table dispute management factsheet regarding children
Age and stages of development in children. Worthwhile reading, whether or not you have children!

RDM lawyers case summary
Form for lawyers to to complete summary of particular cases.

Responding to an Intervention Order
Publication explaining the court procedure for respondents to Intervention Orders in the Magistrates' Court.

Self-represented Litigants' Kit
Publication for self representative litigants in the Family Court.

Untying the knots - Australian Capital Territory
Publication about family relationship breakdown. It covers both Australian Capital Territory and commonwealth family law.

Untying the knots - Victoria

Publication about family relationship breakdown. It covers both Victorian state and Commonwealth family law.
A very comprehensive document and worth getting. Available for download as a pdf file or order from Legal Aid.
See further commentary article on the Marshalls and Dent Website.

Untying the knots: a short guide to family law
Publication giving basic information on separation and divorce, family violence, dispute resolution, children and property. It is only available online.
The Long version is the better publication.
 
 

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Family Law Practice Manual 5th Edition