Lawson and Crawford & Ors (No 2)

In *Lawson and Crawford & Ors (No 2)*, Austin J of the Family Court of Australia considered interlocutory applications in property settlement proceedings. The wife sought to join several corporations as parties to the proceedings, but the parties ultimately conceded that the final relief could be granted without such joinder. The wife also sought further information and documents from the respondents for her adversarial expert witness, having not precisely articulated her requirements.

The court was required to determine whether to grant the wife's application to join additional corporations and whether to order the production of further documents and information to her adversarial expert. The court also needed to consider the procedural steps necessary to ensure the efficient conduct of the trial, including the meeting of expert witnesses and the filing of evidence.

Austin J dismissed the application to join the corporations, noting the parties' agreement that it was unnecessary for the final relief. Regarding the wife's request for further information, the court found that she had not precisely articulated her needs, making it impossible to determine if full disclosure had been provided. Consequently, the court made orders allowing the wife broader interrogation of the respondents under the Family Law Rules and permitted her to issue subpoenas to specific entities for documents not already disclosed. The court also ordered that the single expert and adversarial experts meet in conclave before the trial and set strict timelines for the filing of evidence, including affidavits from lay and adversarial expert witnesses, and updated financial statements. Various interim applications were dismissed, and costs were reserved.