18 November 2022
As South Australian divorces climb above the national average, many South Australians are turning to online marriage separation tools to avoid messy courtroom battles.
Legal Services Commission, the largest provider of free legal help in SA, is shining a light on the online legal tool to help couples to separate amicably.
New figures released by the ABS show South Australian divorces rose by over 17 per cent between 2020 and 2021, with 3,863 divorces granted.
In 2021, South Australian divorces rose 17.13 per cent from the previous year, and above the national increase of 13.6 per cent.
Legal Services Commission CEO Gabrielle Canny said the pandemic had been challenging and stressful for couples, but amica continues to help couples who wish to separate amicably.
“The last two years have been extremely challenging for all Australians, and have placed more stress on some people than others,” Ms Canny said.
“Despite the obvious obstacles that the COVID pandemic has raised, the latest divorce figures demonstrate that for most separating couples it’s really about moving on and planning ahead together for the future they want to have apart.
“Most separating couples simply want to make sure their arrangement is fair, and in line with what most other people in their situation have done. The best piece of advice I can give to couples who feel their relationship has run its course is to do your research and arm yourself with information, before you arm yourself with a lawyer.”
Research undertaken by amica found nearly 1 in 3 couples reported that COVID has put their relationship under pressure or has led them to consider separating from their partner.
The Legal Services Commission, through amica, assists with many matters where the asset pool is below $500,000 (36 per cent of matters), between $500,000 to $1,000,000 (31 per cent), above $1 million (26 per cent), but also matters where the asset pool is above $2 million (7 per cent of matters).
About amica
amica is a smart and simple online tool to guide couples who wish to separate amicably through parenting, property and money decisions. The service is backed by the Australian Government and is free to use for couples if one person is receiving an income support from Centrelink. For anyone else, there is only a small fee payable to finalise written agreements. For more information, please visit amica.gov.au
Media contact: Simon Halliwell – 0421 611 856
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