Mitchell and Sadko

In the matter of *Mitchell and Sadko*, Cronin J of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia was required to determine parenting orders concerning three children. The dispute involved the parents' respective roles in the children's lives and arrangements for their future care and residence.

The court was tasked with determining the primary caregiver for the children, whether the children should live with one parent exclusively, and the extent to which international travel and relocation should be permitted. Further issues included the retention of children's passports, the discharge of existing parenting orders, and the facilitation of future arrangements for the children to spend time with both parents, including holiday periods and electronic communication.

Cronin J discharged all extant parenting orders and made new orders granting the husband sole parental responsibility for the children. The children were ordered to live with the husband, and he was permitted to retain their passports and to remove them to live in the United States of America upon the conclusion of the second school term of 2014. The court also ordered the parties to provide draft proposals regarding holiday periods for the children to spend time with the wife in Australia, arrangements for the wife to spend time with the children in the United States, and electronic communication arrangements. In default of agreement on these matters by 30 May 2014, the court indicated it would determine the precise nature of these orders. The husband was made responsible for the children's airfares for all travel. The court also included a Fact Sheet detailing the obligations and consequences of contravening the orders, pursuant to sections 65DA(2) and 62B of the relevant legislation. All other applications were dismissed.