Carlisle and Carlisle (No.2)

In the matter of *Carlisle and Carlisle (No.2)*, His Honour Judge B Smith of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia considered an application to vary existing orders concerning spousal maintenance. The dispute involved the husband and wife, with the wife seeking an adjustment to the periodic spousal maintenance previously ordered.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the existing spousal maintenance order, made on 3 August 2017, should be varied. This required the court to assess the current financial circumstances of both parties and determine if the previously stipulated maintenance amount was still appropriate under section 74 of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth).

His Honour varied the previous order, finding that an adjustment to the periodic spousal maintenance was warranted. The court ordered that, pending further order, the husband was to pay the wife the sum of $600.00 per week by way of cleared funds. This variation reflected a reassessment of the parties' needs and capacity to pay, as contemplated by the *Family Law Act 1975*.