BENDON & BENDON

In the matter of *Bendon & Bendon*, Johns J of the Family Court of Australia considered applications made by the parties in ongoing family law proceedings. The dispute concerned arrangements for the parties' children and the division of their property.

The court was required to determine the appropriate procedural steps to ensure the efficient and just resolution of the proceedings. This included deciding whether to vacate a previously scheduled final hearing, to reschedule the hearing, and to make orders regarding the preparation and filing of a Family Report. The court also considered applications for extensions of time for parties to comply with existing orders.

Johns J ordered that the final hearing listed for 23 February 2015 be vacated and relisted for a four-day hearing commencing on 21 April 2015. The court extended the time for compliance with certain orders for both parties to 13 February 2015. Crucially, pursuant to s 62G(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), the parties and their children were ordered to attend upon a Family Consultant nominated by the Director of Child Dispute Services for the preparation of a Family Report, to be completed and released by 27 March 2015. The court noted that the parties were to attend appointments with Ms B on 3 March 2015. The Family Consultant was granted liberty to inspect the court file and relevant documents. Further, the time for compliance with order 13 of the orders dated 7 November 2014 was extended to 14 April 2015.