Maidwell and Routledge (Child support)

The case of Maidwell and Routledge concerned a dispute over child support, specifically an application for a departure from a child support assessment. The matter came before Judicial Officer Thomson M.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the costs of a particular educational institution for the child constituted a necessary expense that warranted a departure from the standard child support assessment. This required the court to consider the manner of education that both parents expected for the child.

Judicial Officer Thomson M reasoned that for a departure to be justified on the grounds of educational costs, the court must be satisfied that the expense is necessary and that it aligns with the educational expectations of both parents. The court applied the principles of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* concerning departure from assessments, focusing on the necessity of the expense and the shared parental expectations regarding the child's education.

The decision under review was set aside and substituted with a new order reflecting the court's determination on the departure application.