What The McKenzie Friend Can and Cannot Do
- Ross Kerr
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 15
Representing yourself in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia can be overwhelming.
The process involves forms, filing deadlines, affidavits, annexures, evidence, court orders, solicitor correspondence, and hearings. For many self-represented people, the hardest part is not only understanding the law. It is staying organised enough to present the facts clearly.
The McKenzie Friend provides practical, document-focused support for people representing themselves.
We are not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice. We do not appear in court as your advocate. Our role is to help you get organised, understand the process, prepare your material, and approach each step with greater clarity.
What is a McKenzie Friend?
A McKenzie Friend is a support person who assists someone who is representing themselves in court.
In practical terms, that support may include helping the person organise documents, prepare a chronology, sort evidence, take notes, understand procedural steps, and prepare for a hearing.
A McKenzie Friend is not a lawyer.
A McKenzie Friend does not take over your case, does not speak for you in court unless the Court gives permission, and does not provide legal advice.
What The McKenzie Friend can help with
The McKenzie Friend focuses on practical preparation.
We can assist with:
organising emails, letters, orders, financial records, and evidence
creating a clear chronology of key events
identifying missing documents
preparing document folders and filing checklists
understanding the difference between applications, responses, affidavits, annexures, and orders sought
structuring material so it is easier to follow
preparing hearing notes and issue lists
tracking deadlines, orders, and next steps
The aim is simple: reduce confusion, improve structure, and help you stay focused on what needs to be done next.
What The McKenzie Friend cannot do
It is important to be clear about the limits.
We do not provide legal advice.
We do not act as your solicitor.
We do not tell you what orders to seek.
We do not predict what the Court will decide.
We do not appear in court as your advocate.
We do not conduct negotiations on your behalf.
You remain responsible for your own case, your own decisions, and your own court material.
Why practical support matters
Family Court proceedings can quickly become disorganised.
A person may receive solicitor letters, deadlines, requests for disclosure, court orders, and hearing dates before they have a clear understanding of the process. Important documents can become buried in emails. Timelines become confused. Evidence becomes mixed with emotion.
That is where practical support can make a difference.
A clear chronology helps show what happened and when.
A proper document structure helps locate evidence quickly.
A filing checklist helps avoid missing important steps.
Hearing notes help keep the self-represented person focused under pressure.
The Court process is difficult enough. Being disorganised makes it harder.
The first practical step
The best starting point is usually not writing a long affidavit.
The first step is getting organised.
That means identifying:
where the matter is up to
what orders already exist
what documents have been filed
what correspondence has been received
what deadlines are approaching
what evidence exists
what is missing
what the next procedural step appears to be
The McKenzie Friend helps you put that information into a usable structure.
Court Portal and Filing Readiness
Many people also need help understanding the practical filing process.
That may include understanding the Commonwealth Courts Portal, identifying the relevant documents, preparing a filing checklist, and organising material before anything is uploaded or served.
This is filing readiness, not legal advice.
We do not tell you whether you should commence proceedings or what orders you should seek. We help you understand the practical steps so you are not dealing with the process blindly.
Practical support, not legal representation
The McKenzie Friend is built around one idea:
Self-represented people need structure.
They need documents in order. They need facts separated from emotion. They need timelines that make sense. They need to understand the next procedural step. They need to be prepared before they walk into court or respond to solicitor correspondence.
That is the support we provide.
Clear documents. Clear chronology. Clear next steps.
Not legal advice. Not representation. Practical support for people representing themselves.
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