Coleman and Geeves

In the matter of *Coleman and Geeves*, heard before Watts J, the dispute concerned the living arrangements and contact arrangements for a child born in February 2001. The orders made by the court addressed the primary care of the child, the allocation of decision-making responsibilities, and the nature and extent of contact between the child and the father.

The court was required to determine the most appropriate living arrangements for the child, including who should have sole responsibility for the child's long-term care, welfare, and day-to-day upbringing. Furthermore, the court had to consider the extent to which the child should communicate or spend time with the father, and the conditions under which any such communication or contact might occur, particularly in light of potential concerns regarding the father's conduct towards the mother.

Watts J ordered that the child live with the mother and that the mother have sole responsibility for the child's long-term care, welfare, and day-to-day care, welfare, and development. The court significantly restricted the child's communication and time with the father, permitting only the father to write a letter to the child, subject to strict conditions. This letter was to be sent to the mother's solicitors, placed in safe custody, and reviewed by the mother's solicitor to ensure it did not denigrate the mother. The mother was to be informed only that the letter did not contain denigration, not its contents. The child was permitted to collect the letter from the mother's solicitors on or after 10 February 2019. All previous orders were discharged.