Understanding the family court : what lawyers would tell you, if they had the time and you had the money / Terry Carson.

Previous ed. 2008.

Includes appendix (p. 154).

A brief history and philosophy of the court -- The Family Court lawyer -- Legal costs and legal aid -- The people you meet -- The court papers -- Urgent or temporary orders -- Steps before a hearing -- The court hearing -- Opening the court door -- Parenting of children -- Child relocation/abduction and The Hague Convention -- Child abuse and neglect -- Dissolution of marriage or civil union -- Maintenance and child support -- Domestic violence -- Hello Dad? Establishing paternity -- Relationship property -- Challenging a will -- Adoption -- Persons under a disability.

The Family Court is New Zealand's most controversial and criticised court of law. It presides over the personal tragedies and family breakdowns of ordinary New Zealanders and enforces laws that often appear to arise out of political desires for social engineering, rather than any search for simple justice. It is frequently accused of gender bias and until very recently operated under an almost total veil of secrecy. However, it is the court that more law abiding New Zealanders are likely to come in contact with than any other. The Family Court makes decisions that affect the lives of New Zealanders, both adult and child, when they are at their most emotionally vulnerable. Litigation is always a bruising, expensive and emotionally draining experience. If you have the misfortune to end up involved in Family Court litigation the process will be much easier if you have some prior knowledge of how the Court operates, what to expect and how to navigate through the minefields of legal procedure.