Kappas and Drakos

This matter concerned parenting orders made by Judge Kemp in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. The dispute involved the parents of two children, [X] and [Y], regarding their living arrangements, time spent with each parent, and decision-making responsibilities.

The court was required to determine various issues concerning the children's welfare, including the allocation of parental responsibility for long-term decisions, the children's primary residence, and the specific schedule for the children to spend time with their father. Additionally, the court addressed practical arrangements for changeovers, the management of the children's participation in sporting activities, and communication protocols between the parents.

The court made orders by consent on a number of matters, including the discharge of previous orders and the retention of passports and placement on an Airport Watchlist until the children turn 18, unless otherwise agreed or ordered. The mother was granted sole parental responsibility for long-term decisions, and the children were ordered to live with her, spending time with the father on an alternate weekend basis, with specific provisions for [X]'s wishes and [Y]'s sports training and future wishes. Detailed arrangements were also made for holiday periods, including Christmas and Easter, and for Father's Day and Mother's Day. The court also imposed restraints on physical punishment and derogatory language, and established strict communication protocols between the parents, limiting communication to text message and email, requiring civility, and prohibiting discussion of proceedings with the children or through them.

The final orders discharged previous arrangements concerning the children, established the mother's sole parental responsibility for long-term decisions, and set out a detailed schedule for the children to spend time with the father. The court also made orders regarding communication, parental conduct, and emergency medical situations, and removed the matter from the active pending cases list.