SCVG & KLD

SCVG & KLD concerned an appeal against interim orders made in family law proceedings in relation to children. The father appealed against several orders made by Faulks DCJ, including those pertaining to parental responsibility, time spent with the children, and supervised visits. The primary issues were whether the Family Court judge erred in not considering equal or substantial and significant time with the children, in not giving significant weight to expert reports about the father's risk to the children, and in not ordering supervised visits. The court held that there was no appealable error in the judge's decisions. The appellate court found that the prior order for equal shared parental responsibility did not create a mandatory consideration of equal or substantial and significant time. The court also found that the primary judge did not err in not giving significant weight to the expert reports, as the father did not establish that they should have been relied upon. Lastly, the appellate court held that no appealable error occurred in the failure to order supervised visits, as no such application had been made, and the orders were intended to operate for a short period.

The appeal was dismissed, and the father was ordered to pay the mother's and the Independent Children's Lawyer's costs within one month of agreement or assessment as to quantum.