Caprosi and Alton (No 2)

In the matter of *Caprosi and Alton (No 2)*, Gill J of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia considered a dispute between the Mother and the Father concerning their child, Y Alton. The proceedings involved applications relating to the child's residence, parental responsibility, and the ability to change the child's name and obtain an Australian travel document.

The central legal issues before the court were whether the child should live with the Mother, whether the Mother should have sole parental responsibility, and crucially, whether the Mother should be permitted to change the child's surname from Alton to Caprosi without the Father's consent. Additionally, the court was required to determine whether the Mother should be permitted to apply for an Australian travel document for the child in the proposed new name, and whether the Father should have any contact or time with the child.

Gill J reasoned that it was in the child's best interests for the child to live with the Mother and for the Mother to have sole parental responsibility. The court further determined that it was in the child's best interests to permit the Mother to change the child's name to Y Caprosi and to apply for an Australian travel document in that name without the Father's consent, pursuant to section 11(1)(b)(i) of the *Australian Passports Act 2005* (Cth). The court also ordered that the Father should spend no time and have no communication with the child.