FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA
| ISAAC & ISAAC | [2016] FCCA 2397 |
| Catchwords: FAMILY LAW – Parenting – Application for a Recovery Order by the Father for the parties’ two children – in circumstances where there is a long history of proceedings – where the Mother alleges psychological and physical abuse by the Father towards the children. HELD – parties’ two children to live with the Father and spend supervised time with the Mother. |
| Legislation: Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), ss.67Z, 69ZW |
| Cases cited: Rice & Asplund (1979) FLC 90-725 |
| Applicant: | MR ISAAC |
| Respondent: | MS ISAAC |
| File Number: | DGC 400 of 2012 |
| Judgment of: | Judge Bender |
| Hearing date: | 9 September 2016 |
| Date of Last Submission: | 9 September 2016 |
| Delivered at: | Melbourne |
| Delivered on: | 14 September 2016 |
REPRESENTATION
| Counsel for the Applicant: | Mr Williams |
| Solicitors for the Applicant: | Lander & Rogers |
| Counsel for the Respondent: | In person |
| Solicitors for the Respondent: | Not Applicable |
ORDERS
All previous parenting orders be discharged.
The Father have sole parental responsibility for the children X born (omitted) 2001 (‘X’) and Y born (omitted) 2005 (‘Y’).
X and Y live with the Father.
The Mother and the Father forthwith do all things and sign all documents necessary to make application to Berry Street Children’s Contact Service in (omitted) (‘the Contact Centre’) to enable supervised time to take place between the Mother, X and Y.
Upon a place becoming available at the Contact Centre, the Mother spend supervised time only with X and Y at the Contact Centre on such days and times as may be facilitated by Berry Street for a period of six months.
The Mother be restrained from contacting (including by text message, Facebook, Skype or phone call) X or Y when they are in the Father's care until the commencement of time pursuant to Order 9 herein.
The Mother is hereby restrained by injunction from attending at either of X and Y’s school at any time when either X or Y are present or at any of their extra-curricular activities until the commencement of time pursuant to Order 9 herein.
The Father is authorised is to provide a copy of these Orders to the principal of X and Y’s school/s and the manager of any of their sporting teams.
Upon the expiration of supervised time pursuant to Order 5 herein, X and Y communicate and spend time with the Mother as follows:
(a)each alternate weekend from after school Friday to before school Monday; and
(b)as otherwise agreed between the parties in writing.
The Father forthwith enrol and complete a Parenting Adolescents Program at LifeWorks Relationship Counselling and Education Services, P: (omitted).
The Mother is hereby ordered to do all things necessary to immediately erase any recordings taken by her or X during the conference with the Family Consultant on 1 September 2016 and is prohibited from copying them or making copies of same available to any other persons or on social media.
In the event the parties agree X shall live with the Mother:
(a)any…
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- AGLC
- Isaac and Isaac [2016] FCCA 2397
- Case
- [2016] FCCA 2397
- Decision Date
CaseChat Overview and Summary
The court was required to determine several legal issues, including the discharge of previous parenting orders, the allocation of sole parental responsibility, the children's primary residence, the arrangements for supervised and unsupervised time between the children and the Mother, and the imposition of injunctions and restraining orders on both parties. Additionally, the court had to consider orders relating to the children's education, medical treatment, and the prevention of them being taken out of the Commonwealth of Australia. The court also had to address specific orders regarding the Mother's conduct, including the erasure of recordings and prohibitions on attending school or extracurricular activities.
Judge Bender's reasoning led to the discharge of all previous parenting orders. The court found that the Father should have sole parental responsibility for X and Y, and that the children should live with him. The Mother was to have supervised time with the children at a contact centre for a period of six months, with specific restrictions on her contact with the children outside of these supervised times. The court also imposed injunctions restraining the Mother from attending the children's school or extracurricular activities during this period. Further orders were made regarding the Father's enrolment in a parenting program, the Mother's obligation to erase recordings, and prohibitions on both parents from discussing the proceedings with the children. Crucially, both children and the parents were restrained from leaving the Commonwealth of Australia, with the Australian Federal Police requested to place the children's names on the Airport Watch List. The court also made orders restraining both parents from denigrating the other to or in the presence of the children, and requiring them to follow professional recommendations regarding Y's learning difficulties.
The court ordered the discharge of all previous parenting orders. The Father was granted sole parental responsibility for X and Y, with the children to live with him. The Mother was to have supervised time with the children at a contact centre for six months, with specific restrictions on her contact and attendance at school or extracurricular activities. Injunctions were granted to prevent the children from being taken out of Australia, and both parents were restrained from denigrating each other to the children. All extant applications were dismissed.
Orders
Orders of the court
1.
All previous parenting orders be discharged.
2.
The Father have sole parental responsibility for the children X born (omitted) 2001 (‘X’) and Y born (omitted) 2005 (‘Y’).
3.
X and Y live with the Father.
4.
The Mother and the Father forthwith do all things and sign all documents necessary to make application to Berry Street Children’s Contact Service in (omitted) (‘the Contact Centre’) to enable supervised time to take place between the Mother, X and Y.
5.
Upon a place becoming available at the Contact Centre, the Mother spend supervised time only with X and Y at the Contact Centre on such days and times as may be facilitated by Berry Street for a period of six months.
6.
The Mother be restrained from contacting (including by text message, Facebook, Skype or phone call) X or Y when they are in the Father's care until the commencement of time pursuant to Order 9 herein.
7.
The Mother is hereby restrained by injunction from attending at either of X and Y’s school at any time when either X or Y are present or at any of their extra-curricular activities until the commencement of time pursuant to Order 9 herein.
8.
The Father is authorised is to provide a copy of these Orders to the principal of X and Y’s school/s and the manager of any of their sporting teams.
9.
Upon the expiration of supervised time pursuant to Order 5 herein, X and Y communicate and spend time with the Mother as follows:
(a) each alternate weekend from after school Friday to before school Monday; and
(b) as otherwise agreed between the parties in writing.
10.
The Father forthwith enrol and complete a Parenting Adolescents Program at LifeWorks Relationship Counselling and Education Services, P: (omitted).
11.
The Mother is hereby ordered to do all things necessary to immediately erase any recordings taken by her or X during the conference with the Family Consultant on 1 September 2016 and is prohibited from copying them or making copies of same available to any other persons or on social media.
12.
In the event the parties agree X shall live with the Mother:
(a) any time X spends with Y shall take place at the Contact Centre or at the Father’s home until the commencement of time pursuant to Order 9 herein; and
(b) X shall spend time with the Father as agreed between Y and the Father.
13.
The Mother be and is hereby restrained from taking X or Y, or either of them, to any counsellors, therapists, psychologists without the Father’s written consent.
14.
The Mother and Father shall not use any form of physical punishment on X or Y, or either of them.
15.
That MR ISAAC, born (omitted) 2001 and Y, born (omitted) 2005 are restrained from leaving the Commonwealth of Australia.
16.
That Mr Isaac (“the Father”) and Ms Isaac (“the Mother”) their servants and/or agents be and are hereby restrained from removing or attempting to remove or causing or permitting the taking or sending of the said children X, born (omitted) 2001 and Y, born (omitted) 2005 from the Commonwealth of Australia.
17.
IT IS REQUESTED that the Australian Federal Police give effect to this order by placing the names of the said children on the Airport Watch List in force at all points of arrival and departure in the Commonwealth of Australia and maintain the children’s names on the Watch list until the Court orders its removal.
18.
This order does not prohibit the taking or sending of the child from Australia to a place outside Australia if it is done with the consent in writing (authenticated as prescribed in accordance with Regulation 12 of the Family Law Regulations)
19.
The Father, his servants and agents be and are hereby restrained by injunction from abusing, insulting, belittling, rebuking or otherwise denigrating the Mother to or in the presence or hearing of the said children or any of them and from permitting any other person so to do.
20.
The Mother, her servants and agents be and are hereby restrained by injunction from abusing, insulting, belittling, rebuking or otherwise denigrating the father to or in the presence or hearing of the said children or any of them, and from permitting any other person so to do.
21.
The Father be permitted to provide a copy of these orders to any medical, speech therapist or other treating professional of X or Y.
22.
The Mother be permitted to receive school reports for X or Y directly from their schools at her expense.
23.
Both parties be and are hereby restrained from discussing these proceedings or showing X or Y documents in these proceedings or permitting any other person to do so.
24.
Both parties follow the recommendations of any treating paediatrician or other professional in relation to Y's diagnosed learning difficulties.
25.
Each party provide the other with at least 28 days advance written notice of any intended change to their residential address or telephone number.
26.
The Father keep the mother informed of:
(a) any serious illness, injury or other significant condition of either X or Y;
(b) any medical emergencies involving X or Y as soon as practicable;
(c) any treating professional in relation to Y's learning or behavioural issues.
27.
All extant applications be otherwise dismissed.
Background
Background to the litigation
Evidence
Evidence Before The Court
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Decision
Reasons for decision
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Ratio Decidendi
Legal Principle Established
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