Urgent child maintenance

An urgent child maintenance application can only be made if an application for administrative assessment has been made but has not yet been determined: s 139 Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989.

An order made by the court for urgent child maintenance must be expressed to come to an end on the issue of the child support assessment and at best it has only short term effect: s 139, Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989.

The court must be of the opinion that the child is in need of urgent financial assistance and may order a periodic payment or other payment as it thinks necessary. Such an order is only for a limited duration and ceases once the Registrar has made a final decision.

Practice Tip: Such urgent child maintenance applications are rare as applications for administrative assessments tend to be processed much quicker than an application for maintenance in the family law courts.

See Urgent child maintenance.