Crawford & Crawford

This case involved an application before Berman J concerning interim parenting and property orders. The parties, the husband and wife, were in dispute regarding the living arrangements and time spent with their two children, as well as various financial matters and the preservation of property. The proceedings also touched upon the wife's role as a director of G Pty Ltd and the husband's proposed business development for Crawford Pty Ltd.

The court was required to determine several legal issues. These included the appropriate interim parenting orders for the children, the terms of interim property orders, including financial distributions and the purchase of a motor vehicle for the wife, and the extent to which injunctions should be granted to preserve property. Specifically, the court had to consider the wife's opposition to resigning as a director of G Pty Ltd, the husband's desire to proceed with a business development, and the financial circumstances of both parties in relation to interim financial support.

Berman J applied principles relating to interim orders in family law proceedings, focusing on the best interests of the children and the preservation of assets pending final determination. The court made consent orders regarding the children's living arrangements and communication between the parties, and also ordered a Family Assessment Report. In relation to property, the court ordered the appointment of the husband as a director of G Pty Ltd and the wife as a director of V Pty Ltd, with reciprocal injunctions preventing their removal. The court also imposed injunctions restraining the husband from dealing with certain assets without the wife's consent, noting insufficient evidence regarding the proposed business development and that such decisions were not typically for the court to make at an interim stage. Financial orders included a significant transfer of funds, weekly payments to the wife, and provisions for the children's expenses and the former matrimonial home. The court also ordered disclosure of documents and permitted each party to draw funds for legal fees.