Preparing a Family Law Chronology
A chronology is a document that sets out the key facts regarding your relationship, relating to parenting, property, or both. It provides a clear outline of the key events throughout the relationship, along with a brief summary of each important date.
Chronologies are used in several aspects of your family law matter, most importantly, they form a part of some of the documents filed with the Court, to assist the Court to quickly and easily understand your matter. A chronology is often also prepared by your lawyer when your matter commences, as a reference tool to guide them when they are preparing documents in your matter, including any affidavits.
Preparing a chronology yourself
Preparing a chronology can assist your solicitor, especially in preparation for your first appointment, when you discuss the main important aspects of your relationship with your lawyer. They need all the facts and relevant details, and, as they will have to put together a chronology for you matter anyway, providing them with a comprehensive chronology, can assist to reduce the time that your lawyer needs to spend on information gathering, and reduce the cost to you.
What is in a Chronology
Your chronology should summarise all relevant facts, as concisely as possible, and as accurately as you can. Include biographical information including dates of birth for the parties and any children, as well as key dates to the relationship, such as date of cohabitation, marriage, final separation, and divorce.
Make sure you clearly identify the source of information for each item, ensuring that each item is a statement of fact only, not your thoughts on the matter, or any suspicions you may have.
Chronologies can also include information including:
- Dates of employment, as well as salary received in each role;
- Dates of purchase and/or sale of property, as well as purchase/sale price and how the purchase was funded;
- Dates of relevant family violence events, and a summary of the event, including if the police were involved;
- Dates of other relevant events. For example, if you renovated the family home, when such renovations occurred, how much was spent, and where the money came from, as well as whether the renovations were completed by a party, or if a contractor was involved.
An example of a chronology is below.
Date |
Event |
Source |
| 1 January 1966 | Bob Smith, Husband born in Sydney, Australia.
Bob is currently employed as an engineer earning approximately $180,000 per annum |
|
| 24 March 1968 | Jane Smith (nee Jones), Wife born in Toronto, Canada.
I am currently employed as a pediatric oncologist earning $150,000 per annum. |
Tax return FYE 30 June 2025 |
| 1988 | Bob graduates from UNSW and commences employment as an engineer. I do not know his income at this time. | |
| 14 July 1988 | Wife migrates to Australia | |
| 25 November 1989 | Parties commence cohabitation in Seaforth home, $200 per week rent.
I attended to the majority of the cooking and cleaning since cohabitation, and Bob did most of the gardening. We both met the costs of the rent, bills and groceries equally. |
Rental Contract 25.11.1989 |
| 1989 – 1994 | Lived in Seaforth, however Bob’s brother also lived with us at this time, rent free. | |
| 25 January 1991 | Parties married | |
| July 1991 | Went on a three-month holiday to Western Europe, paid for by Husband from savings | Bank Statement for CBA account #1234 for 1.1.1991 – 1.8.1991 |
| 18 February 1992 | First child born, Melinda Smith (“Melinda”).
I took maternity leave for 18 months following Melinda’s birth. Bob did not take any time off. |
|
| October 1992 | Went on three-month holiday to Malaysia, paid for jointly | Bank Statement for CBA accounts #1234 and #4321 for 1.7.1992 – 1.12.1992 |
| 1995 – 2001 | Lived in Manly property, $350 per week rent. | Rental Contract 14.06.1995 |
| 9.10.1997 | Second child born, Nathan Smith (“Nathan”).
I took 12 months maternity leave after Nathan was born. Bob took about 4 weeks paternity leave. |
|
| 12.02.2002 | On 12 February 2002, we purchased the unit 11/30 The Parade Dee Why (“the Dee Why property”) for $800,000, using $75,000 of savings, a gift from my father of $45,000 and by way of a mortgage of $680,000 to CBA. | Settlement Sheet 12.02.2002 |
| 22.05.2003 | I graduated from university and commenced my employment at Royal North Shore Hospital. I was earning about $60,000 per annum at this time. | |
| 08.09.2004 | We purchase the property at 7 Woodward Ave, Shelley Beach (“the Shelley Beach property”) for $650,000, as an investment property.
Purchase was funded by way of a mortgage to CBA of $600,000. Rented from late 2004 on a consistent basis for approximately $400 per week |
Settlement Sheet 08.09.2004
Mortgage statement 09.2004 Rental Contract 11.11.2004 |
| 2009 | Bob purchases Audi ‘ABC123’ for about $126,000 | |
| August 2009 | Bob and I separate on a final basis. Bob moves out of the Dee Why property, and moves into the Shelley Beach property | |
| 19.06.2011 | Bob and I divorce | Divorce Order |
| December 2011 | Bob and I reach an agreement for parenting Orders for Nathan. Agreement is made into Orders 13.12.2011 | Orders date 13.12.2011 |
| January 2012 | Property discussions commence |
