Medapati and Revanka (No 2)

In *Medapati and Revanka (No 2)*, Forrest J of the Family Court of Australia considered competing proceedings commenced by a husband and wife. The wife had initiated proceedings in Australia, while the husband had commenced separate proceedings in Country J. The husband sought a stay of the Australian proceedings, and conversely, the wife sought an anti-suit injunction to prevent the husband from continuing his litigation in Country J.

The central legal issues before the court were whether Australia was a clearly inappropriate forum for the wife's proceedings, and if not, whether it was oppressive and vexatious for the husband to pursue his litigation in Country J. The court was also required to determine whether to grant the husband an extension of time for certain disclosure obligations.

Forrest J reasoned that Australia was not a clearly inappropriate forum for the wife's proceedings. Consequently, the husband's application for a stay was dismissed. The court found that it would be oppressive and vexatious to permit the husband to continue his litigation in Country J, and therefore granted the wife's application for an anti-suit injunction. This injunction restrained the husband from commencing or continuing proceedings in Country J related to the marital relationship, with exceptions for discontinuing existing proceedings or seeking recognition of Australian court orders. The court also granted the husband an extension of time to comply with specific disclosure obligations.