How long do Consent Orders take to process in Australia?

Consent Orders take between 4 and 8 weeks to process in Australia from the date on which you lodge them with the Court.

Within 1 or 2 weeks from lodgment, the Court will update the Court Portal with a review date, on which a Court Registrar will review and approve your Application for Consent Orders. The outcome is recorded on the Court Portal, and then it generally it takes the Court between 24 to 48 hours to publish a sealed Consent Order for you to download - the Court does not email or post the sealed Consent Orders to you.

The process can be delayed in the Court Registrar requisitions your Application for Consent Orders, for example if the Court requires more information or finds errors in your Application for Consent Orders. In this case, the Court will write to you and set out what further information is needed, or what the errors are that need to be fixed. Once you provide the further information, or fix the errors, then the Court will review your Application again within 2 to 6 weeks.

If there is urgency to your Application for Consent Orders, then you can request that the Court review your application on an urgent basis. This will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. If you have a critical urgency, consult an experienced family lawyer to know where you stand and get the right advice on your options.