When I was admitted as a lawyer, I was reminded that part of the job is to make hard systems less frightening for the people caught inside them. Family Law is full of those people. Someone trying to work out where their children will live, how property will be divided, whether they are safe, or how to respond to a Court document. For a lot of them, the hardest part is not the law. It is not knowing where to start.
That problem has sharpened. Legal Aid is stretched, private fees are beyond reach for many, and the gap in between is real. It is the parent who earns too much to qualify for Legal Aid and not enough to pay for ongoing representation. If that is you, there is a good chance you have already typed a question into an AI tool late at night, because it was free and it was there.
I understand why. AI can help you grasp a basic concept, organise your thoughts, and prepare better questions before you speak to someone. Used carefully, it can make the first step feel less daunting.
But it is not a substitute for legal advice, and the Courts have now said so plainly. On 29 May 2026, the Chief Justice issued a Practice Direction on the use of artificial intelligence in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. It is a public document, written with self-represented people in mind as much as lawyers.
Here is what it means if you are leaning on AI for a Family Law matter. You are responsible for what you file, not the tool. AI can produce something that sounds confident and is still wrong. So treat anything specific as a yellow flag: if it gives you a particular section number, a dollar figure, a deadline, or a prediction about how a Court will rule, do not act on it until a person has checked it. AI does not owe a duty to the Court. You do.
So where does that leave you when full representation is out of reach? Usually with more options than it feels like at 11pm.
On the Sunshine Coast, free help is closer than it can feel.
Suncoast Community Legal and other community legal centres
Suncoast Community Legal Service offers free legal advice, including Family Law, to people who qualify, and you can reach them on (07) 5376 7800.
Legal Aid Queensland and duty lawyer services
Legal Aid Queensland also helps with family law and runs advice and duty lawyer services; its Maroochydore office is on (07) 5451 6900. Even if you did not get a grant of aid, it is worth a call to see what is open to you.
Firms like Griffiths Parry Lawyers
Some firms, including Griffiths Parry Lawyers, can take on limited-scope work: a single advice appointment, help reading one Court document, or guidance before a Mediation, rather than the whole matter. A junior lawyer supervised by a senior one keeps costs down while you still get qualified eyes on your matter. And if you do use AI or a free online resource, check it against a credible source, and tell whoever you eventually see what you relied on.
The first step is rarely full representation. It might be one conversation that tells you whether you are even on the right track. That kind of help still matters, and it costs less than most people fear.
Access to justice is more than access to information. It is understanding your rights, making an informed decision, and being heard when the outcome matters. AI can widen the door to information. It cannot walk you through it, and it cannot stand in your corner.
If that is the question you are sitting with tonight, it is worth asking out loud, to a person and not a tool. I would rather you asked it, and asked it early.
This piece was written by Mikaela Egan, a lawyer at Griffiths Parry Lawyers on the Sunshine Coast.
Get in touch
If you want to understand your options, whether you are planning ahead or working through a separation, contact our family law team.
This article provides general information only. It is not legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.
For advice specific to your circumstances, contact Griffiths Parry Lawyers & Notary.
