Sinclair and Sinclair (Child support)

The case of *Sinclair and Sinclair* concerned a dispute over the percentage of care of a child for the purposes of child support. The parties involved were the parents, referred to as Sinclair and Sinclair, and the matter was heard by a Magistrate. The core of the dispute revolved around determining the likely pattern of care from the commencement of the administrative assessment of child support.

The legal issue before the court was whether the initial determination of shared care of the child was appropriate, considering the likely pattern of care from the start of the administrative assessment. The court was required to assess the evidence presented to ascertain the actual or intended care arrangements that would inform the percentage of care calculation.

The Magistrate affirmed the decision under review, finding that shared care was indeed the appropriate determination. This conclusion was reached by assessing the evidence regarding the care arrangements from the commencement of the administrative assessment. The court applied the principles governing the determination of the percentage of care under the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988*, focusing on the likely pattern of care as the crucial factor.