Kirkland & Granger

In the matter of Kirkland & Granger, Justice Cronin of the Family Court of Australia made orders concerning the parental responsibilities and time arrangements for two children, L and C. The dispute involved the parents' differing views on the children's education, extracurricular activities, and general welfare, leading to the need for court intervention to establish clear guidelines for their co-parenting.

The court was required to determine a range of issues, including the children's schooling arrangements, the process for making decisions about their education and health, and the specific times each parent would spend with the children. Further issues included the management of extracurricular activities, communication protocols between parents, and the prevention of parental conflict and denigration. The court also addressed the need for psychological assessment and counselling for one of the children, as well as for the parents themselves.

Justice Cronin's reasoning, based on consent orders, established equal shared parental responsibility for both children. The orders detailed a complex schedule for the children's time with each parent, encompassing regular weekly arrangements, holidays, birthdays, and specific weekends. The court mandated that parents consult and make genuine joint decisions regarding the children's health and education, with specific provisions for seeking expert advice in cases of disagreement. Restraints were placed on denigrating the other parent and using corporal punishment. The orders also included provisions for communication, access to educational information, and attendance at school events, alongside requirements for counselling and mediation to reduce parental conflict.