Sooter and Bunton

In the matter of Sooter and Bunton, O’Reilly J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by Mr and Mrs Sooter for leave to commence adoption proceedings concerning a child, J, born in December 1994. The precise nature of the dispute leading to the application for leave is not detailed, but the core of the matter concerned the statutory requirements for initiating adoption proceedings.

The primary legal issue before the Court was whether to grant Mr and Mrs Sooter leave to commence adoption proceedings, as required by section 60G of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). This section imposes a condition precedent on the commencement of adoption proceedings, necessitating judicial permission in certain circumstances.

O’Reilly J granted the application, ordering that Mr and Mrs Sooter have leave to commence adoption proceedings for the adoption of child J. The reasoning for this grant of leave is not elaborated upon in the provided text, but the order itself signifies that the Court was satisfied that the statutory threshold for granting such leave had been met.