Norse and Howie

In the matter of *Norse and Howie*, Strickland J of the Family Court of Australia considered a dispute between a father and the maternal grandmother concerning the child spending time with the maternal grandmother.

The primary legal issue before the Court was to determine the arrangements for the child's time with the maternal grandmother, and to facilitate a discussion between the parties and a family consultant regarding this specific issue.

Strickland J ordered that, pursuant to section 11F of the *Family Law Act 1975*, both the father and the maternal grandmother attend upon a family consultant to discuss the issues in the case, with a particular focus on the question of the child spending time with the maternal grandmother. The Court also made directions regarding the filing and service of affidavits of evidence in chief by both parties, as well as an Amended Response from the maternal grandmother. The case was subsequently adjourned part heard to a continuation hearing scheduled for 16 September 2009.