VIC - Family Provision Claim

This article will show you how to:

• Create a Family Provision Claim matter
• Enter Parties
• Enter Estate Details 
• Enter Case Details
• Enter the Court Details
• Add Uncommon Contacts 
• Change existing General matter to Family Provision Claim

 To create a new Family Provision Claim matter, follow the steps below. 

1. Click New Matter from the Home Screen.
2. Select Matter Type: Family Provision Claim.
3. Select which party you are acting for (Plaintiff or Defendant/Personal Representative of the Estate):
   
4. Enter the parties in the order in which they appear in the Court documents.
   • See Adding Contacts for more information on adding contacts generally.
5. For the Defendant, open 'Details' to add their capacity role, and relationship to the Deceased.
6. For the Plaintiff, open 'Eligibility Details' to add their relationship to the Deceased, and eligibility under s 90 Administration and Probate Act 1958 (VIC).
7. Select 'Estate Details' to add Will information, and administration details (if applicable):
   
   
8. Select 'Case Details' to enter the Case Number, Registry, Division, List and Court:
   
9. Enter the Court within the Case Details window. This will add the Court contact to your matter like any other contact card, allowing you to contact the Court and ensure automation works correctly. You do not need to add the Court as an additional contact outside of the Case Details window.
10. Enter any Eligible Persons, and their relationship to the Deceased.
11. Enter any Beneficiaries.
12. To add Uncommon Contacts to your matter, open the Matter Settings and select the appropriate contact from the Parties & Data available in your matter.
    For Family Provision Claim (VIC), the available parties include Barrister, Mediator, Legal Agent, Expert, Accountant, Valuer, Process Server, Previous Solicitor and Additional Contact: 
    

Change existing General matter to Family Provision Claim

Existing VIC General matters can be easily changed to Family Provision Claim as follows:

1. Open your existing General matter (used for Family Provision Claim)
2. Open Matter Type
3. Select change...
4. Select new Matter Type as Estate Disputes > Family Provision Claim
5. Select OK:
   
6. Select which Party you are acting for (Plaintiff or Defendant)
7. Enter Reason For Change
8. Select OK.
   
   

After closing and reopening, your matter will now appear as 'Family Provision Claim', with the party roles and layouts that are available in the Family Provision matter.

We have some new Family Provision Claim precedents and forms available in the Smokeball Precedent Library, including automated Supreme Court Family Provision forms.

You can also 'Request a form' to have additional forms added to the Precedent Library!