---
title: "FCFCOA expert certificate that the AI direction was read"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-law/fcfcoa-expert-read-certificate"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a16-fcfcoa-expert-read-certificate"
area_id: "A16"
kind: "checklist"
ai_level: "red"
version: 1
task_ids: ["A16-B1-1", "A16-B6-2"]
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-22"
---

# FCFCOA expert certificate that the AI direction was read

> Paragraph 4.10 requires a lawyer who engages a private expert to give the expert this practice direction and to ensure the expert certifies that it has been read. The HTML does not set out the certificate.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-law/fcfcoa-expert-read-certificate  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-22

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

## Key facts

- Kind: Checklist. Steps or checks to work through and tick off.
- Practice area: [Family Law](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-law.md)
- Jurisdictions: Australia, Commonwealth
- AI level: Red. You write the text. The tool writes nothing into the document. Where permitted, it may check, clarify or collect data, and anything it checks or collects is verified.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-22
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-22 against the authority it cites, for Australia and Commonwealth.

## When to use it

Use when a private expert is engaged to prepare a report or opinion for a proceeding in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The expert report must also meet the expert-witness requirements. Those requirements were not opened.

## Used for these tasks

- [Check an FCFCOA filing against PD-AI](https://ailawframework.com/practice/family-law/check-an-fcfcoa-filing-against-pd-ai.md)
- [Comply with FCFCOA PD-AI when preparing documents](https://ailawframework.com/practice/family-law/comply-with-fcfcoa-pd-ai-when-preparing-documents.md)

## How AI may be used

The certificate is the expert's statement in the report. The expert writes it after reading the direction. AI does not sign it and does not draft the opinion.

**AI may:**

- Place the practice direction with the letter of instruction
- Leave a blank certificate for the expert to complete after reading the direction

**AI must not:**

- Must not draft the expert's opinion
- Must not sign or complete the certificate for the expert
- Must not present the starting-point sentence as words the direction prescribes

**The lawyer checks:**

- A copy of the 29 May 2026 practice direction was given to the expert
- The expert has certified that it was read
- The report also meets the expert-witness requirements. Those requirements were not opened for this checklist
- Paragraph 4.11 treats an expert differently from other court users. The expert disclosure is this certificate, not a general AI-use statement

## Authorities

- [Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Practice Direction: Use of Artificial Intelligence, paragraph 4.10, issued 29 May 2026](https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/pd/pd-ai)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-law/fcfcoa-expert-read-certificate and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

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