MORTON & MORTON

In the matter of *Morton & Morton*, Watts J of the Supreme Court of Queensland considered a dispute between the parties concerning parenting arrangements. The proceedings involved an application for consent orders, with a specific amendment proposed to an existing order regarding the time each parent would spend with the children.

The central legal issue before the Court was the precise formulation of the parenting orders, particularly concerning the commencement and duration of alternate week contact arrangements. The Court was required to determine the specific wording and timing of these orders to reflect the agreement reached by the parties, ensuring clarity and enforceability.

Watts J's reasoning focused on giving effect to the parties' consent, as evidenced in Exhibit 2, while also incorporating the agreed amendment to order 3.1. The Court applied the principle that where parties consent to orders, the Court will generally make those orders unless they are contrary to the children's best interests or otherwise improper. The Court's decision involved carefully detailing the alternate week arrangements, specifying the commencement dates and the exact periods of time each parent would have the children, distinguishing between periods before and after 13 November 2015.

The Court made orders by consent, save for a specific amendment to order 3.1. This amendment stipulated that each alternate week, the children would spend time with one parent from after school on a Tuesday until the following Monday morning, commencing on the first Tuesday after the orders were made. From 13 November 2015, this arrangement was to shift to commence on a Monday until the following Monday morning, beginning on the first Monday after that date.