LAWS6304 - International Family Law

Family law disputes quite frequently involve parties who are citizens of, or have a right of abode in, other countries. It is common also for parties to have assets located in other countries.

These international family law cases give rise to numerous difficult issues and require specialist legal advice. In which jurisdiction should a client file and what urgency is there to secure the jurisdiction of choice? How will Australian courts deal with forum disputes? To what extent are foreign court orders enforceable in Australia and will Australian orders be enforced in an overseas' jurisdiction? What steps need to be taken to prevent, as far as possible, the movement of assets overseas or, indeed, children overseas? How does the Hague Convention on Child Abduction work and is it effective? What about international enforcement of child support?

This unit of study will examine these and other questions with an emphasis on the law in practice.

Assumed knowledge

Law degree or knowledge of private international law

Assessment

• 4,000 Word Essay (50%)
• Take-Home Exam (50%)

Session

Semester 2 Intensive
8, 9 & 29, 30 August 2013

The timetable is subject to frequent changes. Please refer to the latest version of the Postgraduate Timetable.

Legal Professional Development (LPD)

You can credit this unit towards Legal Professional Development (LPD). Units of study that are part of Sydney Law School’s Postgraduate Program meet the necessary Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) of the Law Society of New South Wales and the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements of the New South Wales Bar Association. You may complete this unit of study by enrolling on a non-degree basis or on an audit basis only with no assessment via Single Unit Enrolment.

Courses this unit is available in

Master of Laws | Master of Global Law |Master of International Law | Graduate Diploma in Law | Graduate Diploma in International Law