Claridge and Claridge (No. 2)

In the matter of *Claridge and Claridge (No. 2)*, Dessau J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the parties concerning financial matters. The dispute involved the husband and wife, and the court was tasked with making orders regarding the production of financial information, the conduct of the parties, and the payment of costs associated with expert reports.

The court was required to determine several legal issues, including the extent to which parties should comply with requests for information from a single forensic accountant, the appropriate interim orders to preserve assets and manage property, and the allocation of costs for the preparation of expert reports. The court also considered the timeline for the provision of information and the consequences of non-compliance.

Dessau J applied principles relating to the court's power to make interim orders in family law proceedings, particularly concerning the appointment and remuneration of single experts and the preservation of property. The court ordered that both parties comply with reasonable requests from the appointed forensic accountant, Mr W, and that they refrain from removing chattels from a specified property. Furthermore, the court directed that utility accounts for the property be addressed to the wife and ordered that the costs of a specific accountant, Mr J, in providing information to Mr W, be paid from trust funds, subject to certain conditions and a cost cap. The court also made orders regarding the payment of an outstanding utility bill and adjourned other interim issues for future determination.