This report sets out the findings of the evaluation of the Small Claims Property Pilot/Priority Property Pools under $500,000 pilot, a three-year program designed to provide access to simpler, quicker court processes for the resolution of post-separation property matters for litigants with net asset pools of $500,000 or less (including superannuation). The Melbourne, Parramatta, Brisbane and Adelaide registries in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia piloted the program. The evaluation drew on court administrative data, qualitative interviews, case studies from each pilot site, a social return on investment analysis and an empirically informed recommendation on the definition of a small value property pool that should be applied. 

The report concludes the findings of the evaluation support the implementation of the pilot program on an ongoing basis with a national rollout, as an efficient way of assisting parties with modest property pools to resolve post-separation financial matters. With a slight adjustment to the entry criteria based on exclusion of superannuation, the report suggests a definition of small value property matters in line with average wealth profiles in the population. The evaluation report makes a number of other recommendations for improvements to the program if it is to expand beyond the pilot phase.

Key findings 

• There has been strong uptake of the pilot and vulnerable parties are accessing quick property settlement outcomes. 
• There has been an increase in orders by consent and judicial determination in small pool property matters compared with matters processed outside the pilot. 
• There is improved financial disclosure in small pool property matters compared with matters processed outside the pilot. - There is improvement in financial wellbeing for those participating in the pilot. 
• The social return on investment analysis suggests the pilot is a prudent and efficient means of assisting parties to resolve their post-separation property and financial arrangements.