Family & Relationships · Canberra
14 divorce & separation firms in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, including Canberra City, Belconnen, Woden, Tuggeranong.
14 firms
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Farrar Gesini Dunn provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Wills & Estates.
Divorce formally ends a marriage. Parenting arrangements, property and financial support are separate issues, so ask which applications or agreements your circumstances require. Check eligibility, documents and dates before applying.
Ending the marriage does not itself divide property or settle parenting arrangements. Property applications generally need to be made within 12 months after a divorce becomes final; obtain advice about the deadline and any exception that may apply.
Divorce is based on the breakdown of the marriage, rather than fault. The FCFCOA removed the counselling-certificate requirement for applicants married less than two years from 10 June 2025. Check the current application process with the relevant court; Western Australia has its own Family Court.
Understand the next step
Ending a marriage and resolving parenting or financial arrangements are different tasks. Ask the lawyer to explain which applications or agreements you actually need and the sequence in which to address them.
Make sure a fixed divorce fee is not being mistaken for advice about dividing assets or arrangements for children.
A Canberra address does not automatically mean ACT law is the only law involved. Commonwealth decisions, workplace matters and transactions involving nearby NSW can require different experience and procedures.
For divorce & separation, ask which parts of the work the firm handles itself and whether it has relevant ACT experience. Let the lawyer know if a property, employer, other party or existing proceeding is outside Canberra. Your home address alone does not determine the applicable process.
Explain the relationship history, current arrangements and outcome you want. Identify immediate concerns and provide every existing order or agreement.
Discuss negotiation and family dispute resolution. Parenting applications generally involve prior dispute resolution unless an exception applies; ask the lawyer to assess the appropriate process.
Ask how an agreement would be documented and implemented. Clarify who handles related transfers, finance and estate-planning work.
Ask for separate estimates for advice, negotiation, document preparation and court work. A fixed divorce-application fee does not necessarily cover parenting or financial disputes.
Ask for a written scope identifying the work you are authorising, the person responsible and when costs will be reviewed. If you only want advice on one step, say so before the firm begins wider work.
Highlight court dates, proposed travel or relocation and any planned property sale. Ask which time limits apply to your particular issues rather than assuming there is one deadline for everything.
In the ACT, the Magistrates Court and Supreme Court share the caseload without an intermediate court. Tenancy, discrimination, planning and guardianship disputes go to ACAT. Canberra also hosts many federal bodies, so public law and Commonwealth employment matters are common. The ACT Law Society regulates practitioners and handles complaints.
Good to know
Yes. You can be separated while still living in the same home, but you'll need extra evidence, usually affidavits, to show the relationship had ended.
Once filed, a divorce order usually becomes final one month and one day after it's granted. The overall time depends on court scheduling and whether there are children under 18.
Most matters start in the Magistrates Court. More serious cases go to the Supreme Court of the ACT. Family law matters are heard by the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Parker Coles Curtis provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, International Family Law & Hague Abduction and Divorce & Separation.
Belconnen, ACT · Canberra
Yellow Legal provides legal services in Belconnen, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Robinson McGuinness Family Law provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Franklin, ACT · Canberra
Infinity Legal provides legal services in Franklin, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Binding Financial Agreements and Parenting & Child Custody.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Barker & Barker provides conveyancing services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Wills & Estates and Family Law.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Nicholls Anzani Family Lawyers provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Parenting & Child Custody and Divorce & Separation.
Forde, ACT · Canberra
Terry Johnson Legal provides legal services in Forde, ACT. Listed practice areas include Property & Conveyancing, Family Law and Wills & Estates.
Canberra City, ACT · Canberra
Mazengarb Family Lawyers provides legal services in Canberra City, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Weston Creek, ACT · Canberra
C Power Lawyers provides legal services in Weston Creek, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Wills & Estates and Powers of Attorney & Guardianship.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Chapman & Smyth Family Law provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Mediation & Dispute Resolution and Divorce & Separation.
Belconnen, ACT · Canberra
Bridges Family Law Specialists provides legal services in Belconnen, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Parenting & Child Custody.
Canberra, ACT · Canberra
Certus Law provides legal services in Canberra, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Property & Conveyancing and Parenting & Child Custody.
Canberra City, ACT · Canberra
Divorce.com.au provides legal services in Canberra City, ACT. Listed practice areas include Family Law, Divorce & Separation and Domestic Violence & AVOs.
Directory guidance updated 19 September 2026. General information to help you prepare for a conversation with a professional; not advice about your individual matter. Check current requirements with the relevant authority.
Practising certificates in Australian Capital Territory are managed by the ACT Law Society. You can check a solicitor's status on its public register or by contacting it directly.