FERN & FERN

In the matter of *Fern & Fern*, Forrest J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the Applicant husband for a further adjournment of part-heard proceedings. The application was made on the basis that the Applicant required additional time to gather further evidence. The Respondent wife had not responded in any meaningful way to the request for this additional evidence.

The central legal issue before the Court was whether to grant the Applicant husband's request for an adjournment to allow for the collection of further evidence, given the Respondent's lack of substantive response to the request.

Forrest J granted the adjournment, making the orders in chambers on the papers. The Court vacated the previously scheduled hearing date of 26 October 2020 and adjourned the further hearing of the part-heard application to 10:00 am on Monday, 1 February 2021. The personal appearances of both the Applicant husband and the Respondent wife were required at the adjourned hearing.