Certificate of Dispute Resolution

Rule 8.12 of the Family Law Rules requires the practitioner who conducted court-ordered dispute resolution to prepare a report in the approved form stating whether agreement was reached on an interim or final basis and how the parties conducted themselves: whether they attended and made a genuine effort to resolve the issues. If the practitioner is a judicial officer, the report goes on the court file; otherwise the practitioner gives it to the applicant, who must file and serve it. The rule does not apply to an event conducted by a Judge. Under the Central Practice Direction, parties going to private mediation or external family dispute resolution give the mediator or practitioner this certificate to complete (para 6.34), and a registrar prepares one after an unresolved court-based event (para 6.41).

When you need it

• The court has ordered the parties to mediation, a conciliation conference, court-based family dispute resolution or external family dispute resolution.
• You are the registrar, mediator or family dispute resolution practitioner who conducted the process.
• You are a party providing the blank certificate to your external mediator or practitioner, as the Central Practice Direction requires.

1. 1

   Part A - the parties

   List the applicants, respondents and any independent children's lawyer.

2. 2

   Part B - the process

   Tick the type (mediation, conciliation conference, court-based or external family dispute resolution, or at a Family Relationships Centre), the date of the latest session, the practitioner's name and, for a family dispute resolution practitioner, their registration number. Their surname is not required.

3. 3

   Part C - the outcome

   Tick whether family dispute resolution was terminated before or after it began under the Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners) Regulations 2025 regs 20, 22 and 23, or whether the case resolved, partly resolved, resolved on an interim basis or did not resolve. If not resolved, show whether discrete, significant or valuation issues remain.

4. 4

   Part D - conduct of the parties

   For each party, answer whether they attended, made a genuine effort to resolve the issues and complied with the Family Law Rules costs notification requirements.

5. 5

   Part E - certification

   The person who conducted the process signs and dates. The form notes that family dispute resolution practitioners need not sign if they have completed Part B.

• Where the practitioner is not a judicial officer, they give the certificate to the applicant, and the applicant must file it and serve it on the other parties (r 8.12(3)).
• Where a registrar conducted the event, the registrar places the certificate on the court file and gives it to the parties (r 8.12(2); CPD para 6.41).
• Cases referred to dispute resolution are listed for a mention within 2 weeks after the event (CPD para 6.42), so file promptly.

• Do not include details of without prejudice offers. The form says so expressly.
• The court may use the certificate to decide the next steps and when considering costs, so the conduct answers matter.