Mitchell and Muman (Child support)

The case of *Mitchell and Muman* concerned a dispute over the percentage of care attributed to each parent for child support assessment purposes. The decision under review was made by the Child Support Registrar and was subsequently challenged. The matter came before Judicial Officer Thomson M.

The primary legal issue before the court was to determine the likely pattern of care between the parties from the commencement of the administrative assessment. This involved assessing the factual circumstances to ascertain which parent had the greater percentage of care for the child.

Judicial Officer Thomson M reasoned that the Registrar’s decision had failed to adequately consider the evidence regarding the actual care arrangements. The court applied the principles of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988*, focusing on establishing the factual pattern of care. The court found that the evidence supported a finding that the mother had the greater percentage of care, and therefore the Registrar's decision was set aside and substituted.