Adams and Adams (No. 9)

In *Adams and Adams (No. 9)*, Bennett J of the Family Court of Australia considered applications for costs made by the wife and an independent children's lawyer following a trial that commenced on 5 February 2007. The dispute concerned the allocation of responsibility for these costs between the husband and the wife.

The primary legal issue before the court was the extent to which each party should bear the costs incurred by the independent children's lawyer and the wife for the trial. The court was required to determine the appropriate apportionment of these expenses, considering the conduct of the parties and the overall circumstances of the case.

Bennett J ordered that the husband be responsible for 70% of the costs of the independent children's lawyer, fixed at $21,800, and 70% of the costs of the wife, fixed at $21,217, for all but one day of the trial. The court further ordered that $20,000 of monies held pursuant to a previous order of 20 February 2007 could be applied towards these costs for both the independent children's lawyer and the wife, with the remainder of that previous order to remain in effect pending further order. The costs applications of the wife and the independent lawyer were otherwise dismissed.