Langham and Yabsley

In the matter of Langham and Yabsley, heard before Judge Scarlett, the dispute concerned parenting orders for a child, X, born in 2009. The proceedings involved applications by both the Mother and the Father, with the Father having filed a contravention application on 15 May 2013.

The court was required to determine the future parenting arrangements for X, including issues of parental responsibility, residence, time spent with each parent, the mother's ability to relocate with the child, the issuance of passports, and the father's access to information regarding X's schooling and medical care. The court also had to consider the father's contravention application and the overall costs of the proceedings.

Judge Scarlett discharged all earlier parenting orders and made new orders granting the Mother sole parental responsibility for X, with X to live with the Mother. No order was made for X to spend time with the Father, except on terms nominated and acceptable to the Mother. The Mother was permitted to relocate X to Melbourne and was authorised to obtain Australian and foreign passports for X, which were to remain in her possession. The court also made detailed provisions regarding communication between the parents, the father's access to X's educational and medical information, and specific occasions for X to communicate with the Father. The Father's contravention application and all other applications were dismissed.

The court ordered that the Father pay the Mother's costs of the proceedings, fixed at $11,372.00, with six months allowed for payment.