Howard and London

In the Family Court of Australia, Justice Cronin presided over proceedings involving the parties, Howard and London, concerning the welfare of their children. The dispute centred on allegations made by the mother regarding the children's living arrangements and the father's care.

The court was required to determine the immediate living arrangements for the children, D and E, and to address the mother's allegations. Furthermore, the court needed to consider the appropriate involvement of the Department of Human Services in the proceedings, including the preparation of a report and the production of relevant departmental files.

Justice Cronin ordered that the Department of Human Services be requested to intervene in the proceedings and prepare a report addressing the mother's allegations, to be filed by 21 August 2009. The Magellan Registrar was directed to arrange for a subpoena to issue to the Department for the production of its file by the same date. Until further order, the children were to live with the father on a shared care basis, with specific weekly arrangements, and with the mother at all other times. The court also suspended certain provisions of previous orders made on 25 May 2009 and included a Fact Sheet detailing the obligations and consequences of contravening the current orders.