---
title: "Response to Divorce (Federal Circuit and Family Court): when to file it and how to complete the sworn response"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-law/form-response-to-divorce"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a16-form-response-to-divorce"
area_id: "A16"
kind: "form"
ai_level: "red"
version: 1
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-18"
---

# Response to Divorce (Federal Circuit and Family Court): when to file it and how to complete the sworn response

> Link to the Court's Response to Divorce with a guide to when a respondent should use it, how to answer each statement disputed, the sworn Part D, and service.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-law/form-response-to-divorce  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-18

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

## Key facts

- Kind: Form. A form to complete, or a guide to completing an official one.
- Practice area: [Family Law](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/family-law.md)
- Jurisdictions: Australia, Commonwealth
- AI level: Red. Keep AI out of the decisive steps. A lawyer does the work.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-18
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-18 against the official form at fcfcoa.gov.au and the 3 authorities it cites, for Australia and Commonwealth.

## When to use it

Use when acting for a respondent to a sole Application for Divorce who disagrees with information in the application, whether or not they want the divorce to go ahead (for example a disputed separation date).

## How AI may be used

Lawyer-led. The response is sworn or affirmed by the respondent, so AI may compare the application with the client's documents and list disputed statements, but must not write the response.

**AI may:**

- Compare each numbered statement in the Application for Divorce with the client's documents and list apparent inconsistencies for the lawyer
- Build a dated chronology of the separation from documents the client provides, with a source for every entry

**AI must not:**

- Must not write the reasons the application should be dismissed (Question 6) or the details of disagreement (Question 7)
- Must not suggest a separation date or any fact the client has not given

**The lawyer checks:**

- Whether a response is needed at all, or whether the issue is better left to the hearing
- Each disputed statement identified by the question number used in the Application for Divorce
- Part D sworn or affirmed before an authorised witness
- Filed response served by ordinary service on every other party, including any Independent Children's Lawyer

## Authorities

- [Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Part VI (dissolution of marriage)](https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A00275/latest/text)
- [Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules 2021 (Cth)](https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2021L01197/latest/text)
- [Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Practice Direction: Use of Artificial Intelligence (PD-AI), paras 4.7 and 4.9](https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/pd/pd-ai)

## Official form

[Official form](https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/fl/forms/response-divorce)

## Where this comes from

The official form is published by fcfcoa.gov.au; this page is a completion guide. Last checked on 2026-10-18.

## 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/form-response-to-divorce 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.*