McKenzie Friend
For each court hearing it is generally imperative that you provide a succinct professional Position Statement which will get your view and requirements before the judge efficiently. Our experienced and knowledgeable McKenzie Friends will assist you in drafting a relevant Position Statement that will get your position over to the court in a proficient manner. They will also accompany you in court and can provide advice on any aspect of the conduct of a case, including: (i) Points of law (ii) Issues that their client (litigant in person (LIP)) may wish to raise in court. (iii) Questions that the client LIP may wish to ask witnesses Read more »
Free initial phone consultation
When you call us if we are not able to speak to you immediately, we will call you back shortly afterwards and provide a free initial phone consultation on the general aspects of your case. Read more »
Assessment an advice session
For more specific information and support we can provide assessment and advice sessions either face to face or by telephone/Skype. Generally depending on the complexities of the case a one or two hour session is suitable. At the end of that meeting you will have a good idea of the options and practicalities of any course of action you may be considering. Read more »
Telephone and email support
We can provide comprehensive telephone and email support throughout your proceedings or as you require at a relatively inexpensive cost. It can be arranged as a small additional cost to a fixed fee for an upcoming hearing if you wish Read more »
Assistance in court
Even if you are a confident speaker in other situations and are well informed regarding the court process, going alone is not generally recommended. A supposedly simple hearing can throw up technical points and important decisions you have to decide on fairly quickly with little or no support available. Our McKenzie Friends who accompany you into court will ensure you are making decisions and putting forward your case to the court in a manner which is far more likely to get you the results you want. They will help you to stop making the mistakes that many parents do when they enter the rather bewildering system Read more »
Court documents
The documents that you may wish to put before the court include statements, skeleton arguments, opening and closing submissions. It really is important to ensure they will be well received by the judge and anyone else reading them. Too often parents will damage their case somewhat or even sabotage it completely by filing and serving documents which are counter-productive in content and poorly drafted. We help you get your view over to the court in an appropriate and a capable manner Read more »
Informal mediation
At times there is enough communication between the parents where we can provide a realistic plan that will save all enormous resources in money, time and stress. A simple get together in an independent venue with a straightforward and experienced McKenzie Friend can be enough to reach an informal agreement setting you on the right path Read more »
Counselling
We can provide qualified counselling (some McKenzie Friends) or informal support from our McKenzie Friends which may be of some assistance Read more »
Children
When parents separate and where possible, we know the best arrangement by far (research supports this) for children is where they have two homes and spend substantial time with both parents. Sometimes this ideal arrangement is not possible because of distance, work, financial and health issues Read more »
