General information · Reviewed 13 July 2026
Permitted use
Users must not submit unlawful material, impersonate another person, interfere with the service, scrape personal information or attempt to generate invalid advertising activity.
Listings and advertisements
Firms must have authority to publish submitted details and must not make misleading claims. Solicitor Online may reject, edit, suspend or remove a listing.
Liability
To the extent permitted by law, the operator does not accept liability for reliance on general information, third-party services, advertisements, availability or a law firm's decision to accept or reject a matter.
Governing terms
These terms should be reviewed by an Australian lawyer before commercial launch, especially if paid referrals, subscriptions or lead fees are introduced.
Clear governance supports trustworthy legal information
An authoritative legal-information website should explain who operates it, how content is prepared, how advertising is disclosed, how corrections are handled and what happens to enquiry data. These policies help visitors and automated systems distinguish editorial material, sponsored content and legal services.
- State that the website is not a law firm.
- Label advertising and sponsored placements.
- Publish review dates and primary references.
- Provide a correction and privacy contact process.
Legal content needs ongoing review
Legislation, regulations, court procedures and professional rules change. Pages should be reviewed against primary sources, corrected when material changes occur and removed or qualified when a reliable update cannot be made.
- Record the review date.
- Link to official sources.
- Avoid precise deadline advice without jurisdictional review.
- Invite practitioners to report material errors.
Responsible use by visitors and participating firms
Visitors should not rely on general information for urgent or high-consequence decisions. Firms should ensure submitted content is accurate, authorised and compliant, and should never imply that payment purchases an endorsement or guaranteed referral.
- Confirm which jurisdiction and decision-maker have authority.
- Separate provable facts from assumptions and disputed allegations.
- Identify the remedy sought and the practical value of each option.
- Record limitation, filing, review and response dates at the outset.
Primary law and leading authorities
Legislation, cases and official sources
The materials below are selected research starting points, not a complete statement of the law. A cited judgment illustrates an issue; it does not mean the same result applies to another person. Check the current legislation, later appellate history and the correct jurisdiction.
Professional framework
Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules
Professional conduct principles
A national model for core professional duties, subject to adoption and local rules.
Open authoritative source
Primary legislation source
Federal Register of Legislation
Commonwealth legislation
Official source for current and historical Commonwealth law.
Open authoritative source
Judgment source
High Court of Australia judgments
Primary court source
Official access to High Court judgments and judgment collections.
Open authoritative source
Professional review invited: Australian law firms, academics and practitioners may suggest a correction or additional primary authority through the
editorial contact form. Submissions are reviewed before publication and do not purchase editorial endorsement.
Frequently asked questions
Does the same law apply throughout Australia?
Not always. Commonwealth law applies nationally within its constitutional field, while many civil, criminal, property, compensation and professional rules are state or territory based. The relevant jurisdiction and historical version of the law must be checked.
Why does this page cite both legislation and court decisions?
Legislation states rules enacted by parliament. Courts interpret and apply those rules, develop common-law principles and decide how legal tests operate on particular facts. Neither source should be read without its context and later history.
Does a leading case mean my matter will have the same result?
No. A case is included as an illustration of an issue or principle. Outcomes depend on the applicable law, material facts, evidence, procedure, remedies and later authorities. A neutral citation is not a prediction.
How can I check whether a reference is current?
Open the official legislation or court source, check the version and date, then search for later amendments, appeals or decisions that refer to the authority. For an important decision, ask a qualified practitioner to confirm the current position.
Need advice based on your facts?
Use the short enquiry form to identify the practice area and jurisdiction. A participating firm may contact you after checking capacity and conflicts.
Start a legal enquiry