Which court does this practice direction bind?
The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. It is a different instrument from the Federal Court’s GPN-AI.
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
FCFCOA AI practice direction
Family and migration files in the Federal Circuit and Family Court follow that Court’s practice direction, not the Federal Court’s GPN-AI and not a state Supreme Court note.
The direction, as read for this site on 22 September 2026, adds a safety principle: do not use a tool in a way that could expose a protected address, medical information or a child. It also restricts putting subpoenaed, discovery and suppressed material into a tool unless the closed-environment conditions in the direction are met.
An upload of that material into a public tool is treated as a possible criminal or safety problem, not only a privacy issue. The lawyer decides whether any document may be processed, and in what environment.
Confirm on the direction
Issued 29 May 2026. Paragraph 1.1 says the direction applies to all proceedings in Division 1 and Division 2. Read the direction.
Practice direction on the use of artificial intelligence
Disclosure checklist
Work through this against the instrument, not instead of it. The checks do not record that the filing is done.
- Open the FCFCOA practice direction before any document is filed or any file is uploaded.
- Read the confidentiality and safety parts before upload. Mark subpoena, discovery and suppression material as not cleared by default.
- Do not paste a protected address, a child’s identity, or medical information into a public tool.
- Use a tool on family or migration documents only where the direction’s closed-environment conditions are met, and record why.
- Keep affidavits in the witness’s own words. Verify citations in a source you trust.
- Do not apply GPN-AI or a state note as if it were this Court’s rule.
Sources
Every Australian court page
Each court has its own note. Open the one named on the file.
- AI practice note: Federal Court of Australia
- FCFCOA AI practice direction
- Fair Work Commission AI guidance note
- Administrative Review Tribunal generative AI practice direction
- SC Gen 23: generative AI in the NSW Supreme Court
- NSW Local Court generative AI practice note
- NSW District Court generative AI note
- NSW Land and Environment Court generative AI note
- NCAT generative AI directions
- Personal Injury Commission generative AI note
- SC Gen 25: Victoria AI practice note
- County Court of Victoria AI guidelines
- VCAT and generative AI
- Queensland courts AI practice direction
- Queensland District Court AI accuracy direction
- QCAT AI accuracy direction
- Queensland Planning and Environment Court and Land Court AI directions
- WA Supreme Court generative AI guidelines
- South Australia courts generative AI guidelines
- SAET generative AI guidelines
- Tasmania court AI practice notes
- ACT court AI practice notes
- Northern Territory court AI practice notes
- High Court of Australia and generative AI
See suggested levels for this court · All court AI notes · Jurisdiction tasks · Law firm AI policy guide · Practice areas
Questions
What is the disclosure and safety check?
Before upload, clear the document against the direction’s confidentiality and safety rules. Protected addresses, medical information, information about a child, and subpoenaed, discovery or suppressed material stay out of a public tool unless the direction’s closed-environment conditions are met.
Where is the effective date?
Read the commencement line on the Court’s practice direction. This page does not invent a date the public page did not yield when it was checked.