Christofis & Zorbas

The case before the court involved a dispute between Mr Christofis and Ms Zorbas regarding the existence of a de facto relationship. The applicant, Mr Christofis, sought a declaration under section 90RD of the Family Law Act 1975 that a de facto relationship existed between him and the respondent, Ms Zorbas, from 2002 until May 2010. The matter was heard and determined by the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether a de facto relationship existed between the parties for the period specified. The court was required to consider the evidence presented by both parties and determine whether the relationship met the criteria outlined in section 90AA of the Family Law Act 1975. This included examining the nature and duration of the relationship, whether the parties lived together on a genuine domestic basis, and other relevant factors.

The court found that a de facto relationship did exist between Mr Christofis and Ms Zorbas for the period from 2002 until May 2010. The evidence presented by both parties was considered, and the court found that the relationship met the criteria for a de facto relationship as outlined in the Family Law Act 1975. The court ordered that a conciliation conference be held with a Registrar of the court on 19 August 2011 at 11.00 am. The matter was further adjourned for final hearing before McGuire FM on 16 November 2011 at 10.00 am at Melbourne, with an estimated hearing time of one day. The court also imposed conditions on the filing and serving of affidavits and case summary documents by the parties.