CHOAT & GRENDEL

In the matter of *Choat & Grendel*, Watts J of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia made orders concerning the parental responsibility and living arrangements for a child born in 2006. The dispute involved complex parenting arrangements, with the court ultimately discharging all previous orders and making significant new provisions regarding the child's relationship with both parents and the paternal grandmother.

The court was required to determine the most appropriate parenting orders for the child, considering the evidence presented and the paramountcy of the child's best interests. Key issues included the allocation of parental responsibility, the child's living arrangements, the nature and extent of contact between the child and each parent, and the involvement of the paternal grandmother. The court also had to consider provisions for the child's welfare, including counselling and information sharing between the parents.

Watts J's reasoning led to orders that granted the mother sole parental responsibility and stipulated that the child live with her. Contact between the child and the father was severely restricted, requiring the child's express request for any face-to-face time or communication, with limited exceptions for letters and gifts. The paternal grandmother was permitted supervised contact with the child under specific conditions and prohibitions on discussing certain family members or the proceedings. The orders also included detailed provisions for information sharing regarding the child's education and health, and mandated counselling for the child, with the family consultant's report to be provided to the psychologist. Both parents were prohibited from denigrating each other to or in the presence of the child and from discussing the proceedings with the child.