Mutti and Mutti and Ors

In *Mutti and Mutti and Ors*, Hogan J of the Family Court of Australia was required to determine the costs orders to be made following applications filed by various respondents. The proceedings involved the First Respondent, who was ordered to pay the costs of the Applicant and several former respondents in relation to specific applications and the broader proceedings.

The central legal issue before the court was the allocation of costs arising from multiple applications filed by different parties. Specifically, the court had to consider the costs associated with applications filed by the Second and Third Respondents, the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Respondents, the Ninth Respondent, and the Tenth and Eleventh Respondents. The court was also required to determine the costs of the proceedings themselves as they related to the former Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Respondents.

Hogan J ordered that the First Respondent pay the Applicant's costs of and incidental to several specific applications filed by various respondents. Furthermore, the First Respondent was ordered to pay the costs of the former Second and Third Respondents, the former Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Respondents, the former Ninth Respondent, and the former Tenth and Eleventh Respondents, in relation to the proceedings. These costs were to be paid on a party/party basis, assessed in accordance with Schedule 3 to the *Family Law Rules 2004* (Cth), and were to be paid within thirty days of agreement or assessment.