Egglestone & Ors and Finnegan & Ors

The applicants, Egglestone and Finnegan, sought orders concerning their grandchildren, with the respondents including the children's mother and an Independent Children's Lawyer. The proceedings before Hannam J involved a dispute over contact arrangements and other matters pertaining to the children.

The court was required to determine the terms of consent orders regarding the children's welfare and contact arrangements, as well as to make orders concerning the applicants' contact with the children and the mother's ability to change the children's surname registration.

Hannam J made orders by consent of the applicants, the first respondent (the mother), and the Independent Children's Lawyer, reflecting specific paragraphs of an agreed exhibit, with minor typographical corrections and an amendment to one clause. Further orders were made in accordance with other specified paragraphs of the exhibit. Specifically, the maternal grandmother was ordered to have no contact with the children, either in person or by communication, unless initiated by the children. The mother was also restrained from changing the current registration of the children's surnames.