If your parenting matter is in court, you may have been referred to a DR Conference, or sometimes you have just separated and receive an invitation to attend a Legal Aid DR Conference, but what is a DR Conference?
In short, it is a mediation session that is organised by Legal Aid WA and which is held at their office.
Both you and the other parties in the matter will be allocated a lawyer, by Legal Aid WA.
A mediation date will be set and all parties, including an Independent Children’s lawyer (if appointed), will be present at the mediation. The mediation runs for about 3-4 hours.
Before the mediation, you will have some time to prepare your proposals and ask your lawyer questions about the mediation and what to expect.
Legal Aid WA also carry out mediations for financial disputes, if your matter meets the criteria. In the appropriate case, you can directly apply to Legal Aid WA for a mediation on your financial matters.
A mediation is a great way to settle your parenting court matter and avoid the time and costs of preparing for and attending a trial. Furthermore, an agreement reached as a result of the mediation brings certainty to the parties. On the other hand, a trial may result in unexpected outcomes to the parties.
At Robertson Hayles Lawyers, we have family lawyers who are on the family law panel of Legal Aid WA. Please contact us to discuss whether your matter is suitable for a Legal Aid DR Conference.
Contact us
For all enquiries on property division, children matters or divorce or any other family law matter, please get in touch with the family lawyers at Robertson Hayles Lawyers at (08) 9325 1700 or by email at enquiries@robertsonhayles.com or via our contact form on our website, and we will be happy to assist you with your family law matter.
Note
The above content is only intended to provide a general overview of the topic discussed. It is not intended to be comprehensive, nor does it constitute legal advice. You should seek legal advice specific to your circumstances before acting or relying on any of the above content.