Salter and Metcalfe

In the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, Judge Cole considered a dispute between the applicant, Salter, and the respondent, Metcalfe, concerning the existence and duration of a de facto relationship. The core of the disagreement revolved around whether the parties had been in a de facto relationship for the requisite period under the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) and the date on which that relationship concluded.

The primary legal issue before the court was to determine, pursuant to section 90RD(1) of the *Family Law Act 1975*, whether the applicant and respondent had been in a de facto relationship for a period exceeding two years, and if so, when that relationship had ended. This determination was crucial for establishing the court's jurisdiction to make property settlement orders.

Judge Cole declared that the applicant and respondent had indeed been in a de facto relationship for more than two years, and that this relationship had terminated in August 2011. Following this declaration, the court ordered the parties to attend a Conciliation Conference, with specific directions regarding the payment of the conference fee and the exchange of relevant documents. Further directions were adjourned to a later date.