Buzenval and Hanter

The matter of *Buzenval and Hanter* came before Brown J of the Federal Court of Australia. The dispute concerned parenting orders, with the paternal grandparents, Mr and Mrs Buzenval (Snr), having provided oral undertakings to the court, and the father's solicitor undertaking to file written undertakings from them in the same terms.

The court was required to determine the future conduct of the proceedings, including the preparation of a family report, the attendance of the parties at a trial notice listing, and the provision of information regarding the obligations and consequences of the court's orders. The court also considered whether the matter reasonably required the attendance of solicitors appearing as counsel.

Brown J ordered that certain paragraphs of previous Federal Magistrates’ Court orders remain in effect. The court directed that a family report be prepared and released by a specified date. Furthermore, the parties were ordered to attend a trial notice listing. The court also stipulated that particulars of the obligations created by the orders, the consequences of contravention, and details of assistance available to parties be set out in a "Family Law Courts Fact Sheet" annexed to the orders. The court noted the undertakings given by the paternal grandparents and the father's solicitor.