Barton and Barton

In *Barton and Barton*, Loughnan J of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia considered applications relating to parenting orders. The proceedings involved a dispute between the mother and the father concerning their child.

The court was required to determine several legal issues, including whether to grant an adjournment of the hearing, the procedure for an application to discharge an independent children's lawyer, the timing and process for costs applications, and whether to vary existing parenting orders. The court also considered applications for interim variation of parenting orders.

Loughnan J rejected the mother's oral application for an adjournment. The court set specific dates for the mother to notify the Independent Children's Lawyer and the father's solicitor of any intention to discharge the Independent Children's Lawyer, and granted the mother leave to restore proceedings to the list concerning that issue. The court also established a timeline for filing and serving applications and responses related to costs thrown away. Crucially, the court varied previous orders to clarify the commencement of the father's alternate weekend contact following school holidays. The court also noted an agreement between the parties regarding handover arrangements if the father's wife was unavailable.

Ultimately, the court dismissed the parties' applications for interim variation of parenting orders.