Keith & Zemlinsky (No 2)

In *Keith & Zemlinsky (No 2)*, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia considered an application by the father for costs following earlier proceedings. The mother sought to recover her legal expenses incurred in those proceedings.

The central legal issue before Cronin J was the appropriate order for costs, specifically whether the father should be ordered to pay the mother's costs and, if so, in what amount. This involved assessing the conduct of the parties and the overall merits of the case in determining the reasonableness of the costs sought.

Cronin J reasoned that an order for costs against the father was warranted, reflecting the circumstances of the proceedings. The court fixed the quantum of these costs at $9000, indicating a determination that this sum represented a fair and reasonable recovery for the mother's legal expenses. The father was therefore ordered to pay the mother's costs in the sum of $9000.