Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia: All Divorce Hearings by Webex from August 31, 2026

• The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) will conduct all divorce hearings before a deputy registrar via Webex from August 31, 2026.
• The shift aims to make divorce proceedings more accessible and efficient for parties and practitioners.
• Lawyers must familiarize themselves with the new process to effectively participate in electronic hearings.

This is a change to the long-standing arrangement for divorce hearings requiring attendances where, except for those part of the abovementioned successful pilot, hearings were conducted by telephone only.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) has announced a significant change in its divorce hearing process. As of August 31, 2026, all divorce hearings before a deputy registrar will proceed via Webex, an audio- and video-enabled link. This shift is the result of a successful pilot program conducted in Parramatta, Townsville, and Rockhampton registries, where parties utilized Webex for proceedings before a deputy registrar starting from May 15, 2026.

The FCFCOA highlighted that this change aims to make divorce hearings more accessible and efficient for parties and practitioners. The court noted that it utilizes Webex because of its ability to provide a single static link for every divorce list, visible on the Commonwealth Courts Portal and daily court list the day before the scheduled hearing.

The shift to electronic divorce hearings is part of the FCFCOA's efforts to align with its other electronic hearings before other registrars. The court explained that through Webex, parties and practitioners will not need to find a unique link prior to every court event, making the process more efficient for judges, registrars, and court staff. It is worth noting that the presiding deputy registrar may permit parties or practitioners to appear without video if there are applicable technology limitations or safety concerns.

The FCFCOA emphasized that it expects parties and practitioners participating in affected divorce hearings to be familiar with the new process and ensure they can effectively participate in electronic hearings.

Lawyers should take note of this significant change, as it affects all divorce hearings before a deputy registrar. From August 31, 2026, it will be essential for lawyers to familiarize themselves with the new process and ensure they can effectively participate in electronic hearings. The shift to Webex is expected to make divorce proceedings more efficient and accessible for parties and practitioners.

As the FCFCOA continues to modernize its processes, it is crucial for legal professionals to stay up-to-date with these changes to provide the best possible representation for their clients.

Lawyers should note that from August 2026, all divorce hearings before a deputy registrar in the FCFCOA will proceed by Webex, making it essential to familiarize themselves with this new process and ensure they can effectively participate in electronic hearings.

Source: Original reporting via Australasian Lawyer