Duffield and Dobbs

This matter concerned parenting orders made by Judge Small in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The proceedings involved the mother and father of two children, X and Y, and addressed disputes regarding parental responsibility, living arrangements, and time spent between the children and each parent.

The court was required to determine the appropriate parenting orders for the children, including the allocation of parental responsibility, the children's residence, the father's time with the children, and specific conditions to be met by the father. Additionally, the court needed to consider injunctions to govern the parties' conduct in relation to the children and each other, as well as provisions for communication, notification of significant events, and the involvement of schools and extracurricular activities.

Judge Small ordered that the mother have sole parental responsibility for the children, with the children to live with her. The father was ordered to engage in psychotherapy to address anger issues, with his time with the children to be progressively increased as he complied with this requirement. Specific provisions were made for supervised contact initially, transitioning to unsupervised time, and detailed arrangements for communication and holiday periods. The orders also included injunctions restraining the parties from denigrating each other, discussing proceedings in front of the children, and using corporal punishment. The father was to be kept informed of school and extracurricular activities, and named as an emergency contact.