Lawson and Warren and Ors

In this matter before Ryan J, the applicant, Mrs Lawson, the paternal grandmother, and the respondent, Ms Warren Senior, the maternal great-grandmother, sought orders concerning the care and responsibility for the child, S. The dispute centred on the arrangements for the child's residence, time spent with each party, and decision-making authority, particularly in light of the mother's custodial status and the father's absence from the child's life.

The court was required to determine the extent of parental responsibility to be shared between the paternal grandmother and the maternal great-grandmother, and to establish specific orders regarding the child's living arrangements, the time each party would spend with the child, and the allocation of responsibility for day-to-day care decisions. Further issues included the arrangements for the mother's contact with the child, both during her period of custody and upon her release, including conditions related to drug testing and supervised contact. The court also had to address communication protocols between the parties and restrictions placed upon the mother and father regarding contact with the child.

Ryan J ordered that the paternal grandmother and the maternal great-grandmother share equal parental responsibility for the child. The child was to live with the paternal grandmother, who would have responsibility for day-to-day care decisions when the child was not with the maternal great-grandmother. The maternal great-grandmother was granted responsibility for day-to-day care decisions when the child was with her. Detailed provisions were made for the maternal great-grandmother's time with the child, including during school holidays and weekends, with specific arrangements for even and odd-numbered years. The court also stipulated conditions for the mother's contact with the child, including supervised contact and mandatory drug testing for a period following successful completion of a rehabilitation program. The father was restrained from communicating or spending time with the child, and both parents were subject to significant restrictions concerning contact with the child, including proximity orders.