He said he'd rather kill the puppy than hand it over — and argued that wasn't a threat. A NSW District Court appeal explains why the law disagreed.

One man. Two former de facto partners. One pool of money left over from a house sale — and both women claiming a share of it. A 2026 Federal Circuit and Family Court decision shows how the court untangles consecutive relationships in a single hearing, and why the new family violence property rules changed the outcome.

Under the NSW Local Court's new Practice Note, your first court date for an ADVO or domestic violence charge is where pleas are entered — or entered for you — hearing dates locked in, and evidence timetables set. Here's why walking in unprepared is no longer an option.

Threats, stalking, and a bank account switched on and off like a tap. This is what the Family Court found to be domestic violence in a case that reshaped a $3.2 million property split — and it could reshape yours too.