Cavallio and Cavallio

In the matter of *Cavallio and Cavallio*, heard before Cronin J, the wife sought and was granted leave to proceed in the husband's absence on an undefended basis. The dispute concerned the division of property and spousal maintenance following the breakdown of the parties' marriage. The court was required to determine the appropriate orders for the distribution of assets, including the proceeds of sale of a property in Victoria, and to make provision for the wife's ongoing financial needs.

The court's reasoning led to a series of detailed orders aimed at resolving the financial aspects of the marriage breakdown. These included the discharge of previous orders and the immediate transfer of sale proceeds from a property identified as 'G' to the wife. These funds were to be applied first to discharge specific debts, including those owed to Raine & Horne and to a third party, SP, arising from County Court proceedings. A significant portion was also allocated as a lump sum for spousal maintenance.

Further orders mandated the husband to pay weekly spousal maintenance and to take steps to withdraw a caveat lodged against another property, identified as 'E'. The wife was granted liberty to sell property 'E' independently, with the proceeds to be applied in a specific order of priority, mirroring the allocation of funds from property 'G', to cover debts, legal costs, and further spousal maintenance. The husband was also ordered to provide comprehensive financial documentation relating to jointly held assets and those of L & F Pty. Ltd. The court also noted the potential for a warrant for the husband's arrest should he fail to comply with the orders by a specified return date.