MADDISON & WENTWORTH

In the matter of *Maddison & Wentworth*, the father applied to the court seeking to have an updated family report prepared by a psychologist and for additional issues to be considered at trial. The mother and the Independent Children’s Lawyer (ICL) were also parties to the proceedings. The proceedings were heard by Carew J.

The primary legal issues before the court were whether the existing family report writer was sufficiently experienced and qualified to prepare an updated report, and whether the issues for trial had been adequately defined at a prior case management hearing.

Carew J dismissed the father's application for an updated family report, finding that the existing report writer was experienced and qualified. The court also dismissed the father's application to introduce additional issues at trial, concluding that the issues for trial were sufficiently set out at the case management hearing. The court reserved the costs of the Mother and the ICL. Leave was granted for parties to inspect documents produced by subpoena from the Department of Education, Training and Employment, with the ICL granted leave to copy these documents. The ICL was also granted leave to issue a subpoena to B School and to provide copies of subpoena material for the trial tender bundle to the parties, subject to their return to the ICL at the conclusion of the trial.