Schorel, Ex parte- Re The Hon Nicholson CJ of Family Court of Aust

This matter concerned an application by Mr Schorel for a writ of prohibition directed to the Honourable Chief Justice Nicholson of the Family Court of Australia. The application sought to prevent the Chief Justice from proceeding with a hearing concerning alleged contraventions of a parenting order.

The central legal issue before Dawson J was whether the Chief Justice of the Family Court had jurisdiction to hear and determine the alleged contraventions of the parenting order, particularly in light of the applicant's contention that the order itself was invalid.

Dawson J considered the provisions of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) and relevant case law concerning the jurisdiction of the Family Court. His Honour determined that the Chief Justice, as a judge of the Family Court, possessed the necessary jurisdiction to hear and determine applications alleging contraventions of parenting orders made under the Act. The validity of the parenting order itself was a matter to be determined in the proceedings before the Chief Justice, not a bar to his jurisdiction to hear the case.

The application for the writ of prohibition was dismissed.