SCHILLER & SCHILLER

The case of *Schiller & Schiller* involved a parenting dispute between a mother and father concerning their two children, born in 2009 and 2011. The mother sought orders for week-about equal time, while the father sought a 9/5 shared parenting arrangement. The court was required to determine the best interests of the children in light of the competing proposals and the findings of a family report.

The central legal issues before the court were whether to order equal shared parental responsibility, where the children should live, and the specific time arrangements for the children to spend with each parent. The court also had to consider the impact of the parents' poor communication on the children's welfare and whether specific programs or orders were necessary to address this.

Judge Burchardt's reasoning was heavily influenced by the family report, which did not support the mother's request for week-about time, noting that equal time had been in place when the children were younger but had changed since 2017. The court found that both parties' positions had merit but ultimately made orders consistent with the recommendations of the family report. The court ordered equal shared parental responsibility, that the children live with the father, and detailed specific time arrangements for the mother, including alternate weekends, school holidays, and special occasions. To address the poor communication between the parents, the court mandated their enrolment in and completion of an approved Parenting Orders Program. Furthermore, the court issued injunctions restraining both parents from engaging in detrimental behaviours such as consuming illegal drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, denigrating the other parent, discussing proceedings with the children, or exposing the children to family violence or parental conflict. The orders also included provisions for communication, medical information sharing, and participation in school and extracurricular activities.