If you are preparing an Application for Consent Orders, it is important to understand the new Consent Orders Word document requirement commencing on 31 October 2025. From this date, the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia will no longer accept filings that include only a signed PDF of the proposed orders. You must also lodge an unsigned Word version of the same document, and the two must be textually identical.
What’s Changing?
Previously, parties submitted a signed PDF of their proposed orders. But from 31 October 2025, that alone won’t cut it. Now, all online applications include:
- A signed PDF, with all parties signing every page, and
- An unsigned Word version with identical wording to the signed PDF.
This new requirement applies whether your orders relate to parenting, property, or both. The Application for Consent Orders form and any supporting documents, such as financial statements or risk notices, still be lodged as before. What’s new is the double-version requirement for the actual orders.
Why Is the Court Making This Change?
The goal is to streamline and improve the publication of final orders. When orders are submitted as PDFs, the Law firms often need to reformat, retype, or run them through optical character recognition (OCR) to produce a readable version for official use.
By requiring a clean Word version, ideally based on the Court’s proposed orders template, the Court can publish orders faster and with fewer inconsistencies. It also improves readability and helps third parties act more confidently on orders.
How We’ll Manage the Process
Court Template from Day One
We use the Court’s published Word template for proposed orders. This keeps structure, clause numbers, and formatting aligned with the Court’s preferences, reducing the chance of technical hiccups.
One Live Document
We avoid version chaos by working from a single live Word document throughout the process. This makes revisions clear and prevents accidental drift between versions.
Rigorous Identity Checks
Before filing, we run both a legal review and a technical comparison of the Word and PDF files. This extra step reduces the risk of rejection or delay at the Court’s end.
Benefits for Clients
Faster results
Clean Word files speed up the Court’s turnaround time, meaning you get your sealed orders sooner.
Fewer delays
Matching versions and Court-aligned formatting means less back-and-forth due to technical issues.
Lower stress
A smoother, more transparent process means fewer surprises and a more predictable path from settlement to enforceable orders.
Long-term clarity
A tidy, well-structured order is easier to refer to in the future, reducing the risk of misunderstandings later.
Privacy and Document Security
We take care to strip metadata, use matter-specific filenames (not personal names), and limit email circulation of unsigned drafts to those who need them. The live Word file remains centrally managed and auditable throughout.
Ready to Start?
Send us your parenting or financial settlement outline, recent financials (if applicable), and any existing draft orders. We’ll handle the rest, converting, aligning, checking, signing, and filing all in full compliance with the 31 October 2025 rule.
Final Thought
This new requirement doesn’t have to be a hurdle; in fact, it can streamline your matter if handled right. By treating the Word file as the “master” and working from a single, clean document throughout, we ensure your application is court-ready, fully compliant, and delivered with stress free.
Jake McKinley notes that this article is written for the purpose of providing generalised information and not to provide specialised legal advice. If you require qualified legal advice on anything mentioned in this article, our experienced team of solicitors at Jake McKinley are here to help. Please get in touch with us on 02 9232 8033 today to make an enquiry.
