Hollis and Ballard

In the matter of Hollis and Ballard, heard before Judge Harland, the dispute concerned the parenting arrangements for a child born in 2016. The court was tasked with determining the appropriate orders regarding parental responsibility, the child's residence, and the nature and extent of the child's time with each parent.

The central legal issues before the court were: firstly, who should have sole parental responsibility for the child; secondly, with whom the child should live; and thirdly, the terms upon which the child would spend time with the mother, including any conditions or supervision requirements.

Judge Harland ordered that the father have sole parental responsibility for the child and that the child live with the father. The child was to spend time with the mother at times agreed in writing by the parties. Crucially, this time was to be supervised by either the maternal grandfather or the maternal aunt. Furthermore, the mother's time with the child was made conditional upon her undertaking supervised drug screening tests upon written request from the father, with results provided to the father within seven days and showing no illicit substances.