Snell and Snell (No. 3)

In *Snell and Snell (No. 3)*, Kent J of the Family Court of Australia made orders concerning the welfare of a child, B, born in 2006. The dispute involved the father's conduct in relation to the child's schooling and his access to information about the child's progress.

The court was required to determine the extent to which the father should be restrained from attending the child's school or contacting school personnel, and conversely, what information the school should be permitted to provide to the father regarding the child's educational and social development. Additionally, the court needed to address the disclosure of the child's educational history and the potential need for subpoenas to obtain records relevant to domestic violence history.

Kent J applied principles of family law, specifically referencing sections 62B and 65DA(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), to frame the parenting orders. The court issued an injunction restraining the father from attending the child's school, attempting to remove the child from school, contacting the child at school, or attending upon school employees. However, the court also authorised the school to provide the father, upon written request and at his cost, with copies of school reports, newsletters, and other information typically provided to parents regarding the child's progress. The mother was ordered to disclose the names of all schools and before and after school care providers the child had attended. Leave was granted to the Independent Children's Lawyer to issue subpoenas to specific child care providers and the Queensland Police Service for records pertaining to domestic violence history.