Donnan and Platt

In the matter of *Donnan and Platt*, heard before Judge Harman, the proceedings concerned a dispute between the Applicant father and the Respondent mother. The immediate issue before the Court was the Respondent's legal representation and her attendance at the scheduled hearing.

The Court was required to determine whether to grant leave for the Respondent's solicitor to withdraw from the case, and consequently, how to manage the adjourned proceedings. Further, the Court needed to consider the implications of the Respondent's potential non-attendance and the appropriate orders regarding costs and notification.

Judge Harman granted leave for the Respondent's solicitor to withdraw and vacated the listing for that day. The proceedings were adjourned to 17 November 2014, with an order that the Respondent attend in person, whether legally represented or not. The Court warned that failure to attend on that date would likely result in a warrant for her arrest. The Respondent was ordered to pay the Applicant's thrown-away costs of $10,000 and the Independent Children's Lawyer's thrown-away costs and a contribution to their ongoing costs, totalling $3,644. These costs were to be paid by 14 November 2014. The Applicant's solicitors were directed to notify the Respondent of these orders by ordinary post to her known addresses, including her work address and via her employer, and to prove this notification by affidavit. Additionally, a copy of the orders was to be sent to the Central West Contact Service for their records and to request they provide a copy to the Respondent.