Ruskin and Bonner (No 2)

In *Ruskin and Bonner (No 2)*, Cronin J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the husband for costs following earlier proceedings. The wife sought to have the husband's costs application dismissed.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the husband should be awarded his costs of the proceedings, or a portion thereof, given the outcome of the substantive matters. The court was required to determine the extent to which the husband's costs application was justified and whether any departure from the usual rule that costs follow the event was warranted.

Cronin J reasoned that while the husband had been successful in some aspects of the litigation, his overall conduct and the nature of the proceedings did not warrant a full award of costs. The court noted that the husband's application for costs was largely unsuccessful, and that the wife had achieved a significant success in resisting a substantial portion of the husband's claims. Consequently, the court ordered the wife to pay a contribution towards the husband's costs, specifically $22,000, reflecting a partial success for the husband. However, the remainder of the husband's costs application was dismissed.