Michelangeli and Michelangeli (Child support)

The matter of *Michelangeli and Michelangeli* concerned a dispute over the percentage of care for a child, brought before the court for review. The applicant sought to challenge a previous decision regarding the child support assessment, specifically focusing on the date from which a change in the likely pattern of care should be recognised.

The central legal issue before the court was to determine whether there had been a material change to the likely pattern of care for the child and, if so, from what date that change should be considered effective for the purposes of child support assessment. This involved an examination of the evidence presented by the parties concerning the actual care arrangements for the child.

The court considered the evidence and applied the principles governing changes to the pattern of care under the relevant child support legislation. It was required to assess whether the observed care arrangements constituted a "change" in the "likely pattern of care" as contemplated by the legislation, and to identify the precise date upon which this change became operative. The court ultimately found that a change had occurred and that the previous decision did not accurately reflect this.

Consequently, the court set aside the previous decision and substituted its own determination regarding the percentage of care and the effective date of any change.