Mansfield and Roberts

In the matter of *Mansfield and Roberts*, Dawe J of the Family Court of Australia considered urgent interim orders concerning the parenting of a child, L. The proceedings involved a dispute between the parents regarding L's welfare and living arrangements.

The court was required to determine several key issues, including the necessity for psychiatric assessments of both parents' parenting capacity, the immediate arrangements for the child's physical delivery to the mother, the suspension of the father's time with the child pending the psychiatric reports, and the mother's restriction from removing the child from her current residence. Furthermore, the court needed to address the separate representation of the child, L, and the appointment of an Independent Children's Lawyer.

Dawe J's reasoning led to a series of consent orders designed to ensure the child's best interests were paramount. The court ordered psychiatric assessments by Dr B, with parties at liberty to provide relevant documents, subject to disclosure. The father was directed to deliver L to the mother at a specific time and location. Pending the psychiatric reports, the father's time with L was suspended, and the mother was restrained from removing L from her current address. Crucially, the court ordered separate representation for L pursuant to s 68L of the *Family Law Act 1975*, with the Legal Service Commission of South Australia tasked with arranging this, and requested the reappointment of Mr Winter as the Independent Children's Lawyer. The matter was adjourned for further consideration.