---
title: "Work out whether a dispute-resolution certificate or an exemption is required before filing"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/practice/family-law/work-out-whether-a-dispute-resolution-certificate-or-an-exemption-is-req"
type: "task"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "A16-CO20261022-3"
practice_area: "Family Law"
tier: "yellow"
lawyer_review: "required"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-22"
---

# Work out whether a dispute-resolution certificate or an exemption is required before filing

> From the orders sought and the dates of any existing orders, list whether the application is for parenting orders, property only, consent orders, interim orders only, Hague abduction, child support, or an amended…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/practice/family-law/work-out-whether-a-dispute-resolution-certificate-or-an-exemption-is-req  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-22

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Practice area | [Family Law](https://ailawframework.com/practice/family-law.md) |
| Human involvement | Yellow: Lawyer and AI draft together |
| How AI is used | From the orders sought and the dates of any existing orders, list whether the application is for parenting orders, property only, consent orders, interim orders only, Hague abduction, child support, or an amended application, and which certificate grounds or exemption categories on the court fact sheet could be relevant. Do not write any evidence. |
| What the lawyer must review | The lawyer decides whether a section 60I certificate must be filed or an exemption sought, and the lawyer prepares any evidence. The court fact sheet says a genuine effort at family dispute resolution is required before a parenting application unless an exception applies. A certificate is valid for 12 months and is issued only in the five situations the sheet lists. It is required even if there are pre-existing orders, and it is not required for interim orders only unless they are sought with an initiating application, for property only, for consent orders, for Hague abduction orders, for child support, or for an amended application about a child already in the case. Exemption categories include urgency, reasonable grounds to believe there has been child abuse or family violence, a risk of family violence, or a risk of child abuse if there is delay, inability to participate effectively, and an alleged contravention of a parenting order less than 12 months old with reasonable grounds to believe the person has shown a serious disregard for the order. If a registrar refuses the exemption, a parenting application is rejected. The tool writes none of the evidence. |
| Written for / versions | 1 jurisdiction versions below |

## Checking plan

**Source-by-source verification**

Trace relied-on content to independent sources and check for relevant material the output has missed.

- What the AI does: From the orders sought and the dates of any existing orders, list whether the application is for parenting orders, property only, consent orders, interim orders only, Hague abduction, child support, or an amended application, and which certificate grounds or exemption categories on the court fact sheet could be relevant. Do not write any evidence.
- What the lawyer does: The lawyer decides whether a section 60I certificate must be filed or an exemption sought, and the lawyer prepares any evidence. The court fact sheet says a genuine effort at family dispute resolution is required before a parenting application unless an exception applies. A certificate is valid for 12 months and is issued only in the five situations the sheet lists. It is required even if there are pre-existing orders, and it is not required for interim orders only unless they are sought with an initiating application, for property only, for consent orders, for Hague abduction orders, for child support, or for an amended application about a child already in the case. Exemption categories include urgency, reasonable grounds to believe there has been child abuse or family violence, a risk of family violence, or a risk of child abuse if there is delay, inability to participate effectively, and an alleged contravention of a parenting order less than 12 months old with reasonable grounds to believe the person has shown a serious disregard for the order. If a registrar refuses the exemption, a parenting application is rejected. The tool writes none of the evidence.
- Who reviews: Responsible lawyer with competence in the matter
- Basis: Practical workflow informed by the linked primary sources; the traffic light and working checks are editorial guidance, not a court or regulator classification.
- Why: The level reflects what the work is, the consequence of an error, and how much of the output the lawyer must independently re-derive.

## Checks the lawyer makes

1. Match the application to a category on the fact sheet. Do not assume a later application is exempt because an earlier one was.
2. Check the certificate is one of the five types and is still inside 12 months.
3. For a contravention exemption, confirm the order is less than 12 months old and that the serious-disregard ground is the lawyer's conclusion.
4. The lawyer prepares any evidence required for an exemption. The tool writes none of it.

## Notes

- These are suggested working checks. Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts; the checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.

## Sources

- [Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, compulsory pre-filing family dispute resolution](https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/fl/pubs/comp-fdr) (checked 2026-10-22)

## Jurisdiction versions

| Jurisdiction | Level |
| --- | --- |
| [United States](https://ailawframework.com/practice/family-law/work-out-whether-a-dispute-resolution-certificate-or-an-exemption-is-req/united-states.md) | Yellow |

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*