Pickering and Pickering (No 5)

In the matter of *Pickering and Pickering (No 5)*, Justice Dawe of the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia considered applications by the mother and father concerning interim orders and procedural matters in family law proceedings involving their children. The dispute centred on the mother's request to amend her application to include orders for a child named S, and the father's response to these and other interim orders.

The court was required to determine whether to grant extensions of time for the parties to file and serve their respective documents, including the mother's amended Initiating Application and supporting affidavits, and the father's Response and affidavit. Further issues included whether to amend existing orders regarding the appointment of an Independent Children’s Lawyer to encompass both children, H and S, and whether to extend the scope of a Family Consultant's report to include the views of child S.

Justice Dawe applied principles relating to procedural fairness and the best interests of the children. The court granted the mother an extension of time to file and serve her amended application and supporting affidavits, provided it was done by a specified date. Similarly, the father was granted an extension to file and serve his answering documents. The court also amended previous orders to ensure the Independent Children’s Lawyer's role and the Family Consultant's report addressed the issues pertaining to both children, H and S. Certain interim orders from a previous date were continued during the adjournment period.

The matter was adjourned for further consideration of the interim orders to a specified date before Justice Dawe.