Matheson and Matheson

In the matter of Matheson and Matheson, Barry J of the Family Court of Australia considered applications filed by the applicant and first respondent, and outstanding applications by the second respondent, D Matheson. The proceedings concerned a dispute regarding property settlement.

The court was required to determine the disposition of outstanding applications, the allocation of funds held in trust by Z Lawyers, and the payment of outstanding SPER fines incurred by the wife. The court also needed to schedule further proceedings for the determination of property settlement issues.

Barry J ordered the dismissal of all outstanding applications filed by D Matheson and the applications filed by the applicant and first respondent on 21 January 2008, removing these proceedings from the active pending cases list. The issue of property settlement was adjourned to a date to be fixed. Z Lawyers were directed to pay a specified sum from monies held in trust for the wife to the Collector of Public Monies and to retain the balance pending final property settlement orders. The Collector of Public Monies was instructed to pay the wife's outstanding SPER fines incurred prior to 12 April 2007 and to reimburse the wife for any payments made to SPER since that date for fines accumulated before 12 April 2007. Finally, the Registrar was directed to notify relevant parties of a date for a directions hearing concerning the outstanding property settlement issues.