Dennis & Anor and Pradchaphet

In the matter of *Dennis & Anor and Pradchaphet*, heard before Stevenson J in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the applicants, Mr and Mrs Dennis, sought orders for the child L, born in August 2009, to live with them and for them to have equal shared parental responsibility for L. The respondent was Pradchaphet.

The central legal issues before the court were whether it was in the best interests of the child L for L to live with the applicants and whether the applicants should have equal shared parental responsibility for L. These determinations required the court to consider the relevant provisions of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), particularly those pertaining to the best interests of the child and the principles of equal shared parental responsibility.

Stevenson J made orders that the child L live with the applicants, Mr and Mrs Dennis. Furthermore, the court ordered that the applicants have equal shared parental responsibility for making decisions on both day-to-day and long-term issues concerning the child L.