Debney and DeSanto (Child support)

The case of *Debney and DeSanto* concerned a dispute over child support payments. The applicant, Debney, sought to have the existing percentage of care determinations for the parties' children revoked and new determinations made. The respondent, DeSanto, opposed this application. The matter came before the court for review of a decision made by the Child Support Registrar.

The central legal issue before the court was whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care of the children since the existing percentage of care determinations were made. This required the court to assess the evidence presented by both parties regarding the actual care arrangements for the children and to determine if these arrangements constituted a "change of circumstances" sufficient to warrant a revocation of the existing determinations and the making of new ones.

The court considered the evidence and found that there had indeed been a change to the likely pattern of care. The court applied the principles of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* concerning the revocation and making of percentage of care determinations. The court affirmed the decision of the Child Support Registrar, finding that the evidence supported a change in the care arrangements.

Consequently, the court ordered that the existing percentage of care determinations be revoked and that new percentage of care determinations be made reflecting the changed circumstances.