Sully and Exelmans

In the matter of *Sully and Exelmans*, heard by Brown J, the court was required to determine parenting orders concerning a child, T. The proceedings involved the mother and father of T, with the father failing to appear at the hearing.

The central legal issues before the court were the appropriate arrangements for T's parental responsibility, living arrangements, and time spent with each parent. The court also had to consider the implications of the father's absence and the need for clear directions regarding service of the orders and any future applications by the father.

Brown J discharged previous parenting orders and injunctions, establishing equal shared parental responsibility for T. The court ordered that T live with the mother, granting her sole responsibility for his day-to-day care, welfare, and development. The father's time with T was to be as agreed between the parties, with the mother having absolute discretion regarding supervision. The court also made specific provisions for serving the orders on the father and outlined a process for him to seek discharge or variation of the orders, requiring an explanation for his failure to appear and specific details of any proposed parenting orders. The independent children's lawyer was discharged, and all extant applications were dismissed.