Hall and Hall (No 4)

In *Hall and Hall (No 4)*, Dawe J considered orders relating to the welfare of children in family law proceedings. The dispute involved the parents' ability to re-establish a relationship with their father, with a focus on therapeutic strategies and the children's psychological well-being. The court was tasked with determining the steps necessary to facilitate this re-establishment, including the father's engagement with therapeutic advice and his willingness to address the children's concerns.

The court's reasoning centred on the need for a structured approach to address the identified issues impacting the children. Dawe J ordered that the husband's solicitor request the Independent Children's Lawyer to ascertain the husband's willingness to identify the sources of anxiety for the children, the therapeutic strategies he has adopted, and his advice on how to re-establish the children's relationship with their father. If the husband indicated willingness, both parents were to confer with the Independent Children's Lawyer and provide updated therapist reports. The court also considered the husband's willingness to receive a copy of a previous judgment concerning intervention orders.

The court further ordered that the parents, at their joint cost, request a written report from the Independent Children's Lawyer regarding the outcome of these enquiries. The question of costs was reserved. By consent, leave was granted for the parties to inspect and copy documents produced pursuant to a subpoena to ANZ Bank, with the subpoena listing date vacated.