SUTOR & SEEVER

In *Sutor & Seever*, the father sought permission to take the parties' two young children, aged four and two years, to the United States for a period of five weeks. The mother opposed this application. The matter came before Rees J in the Family Court of Australia.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the father's proposed overseas travel with the children was in their best interests, as required by the *Family Law Act*. This involved assessing the potential impact of the travel on the children, particularly in light of their ages and their relationship with their mother.

Rees J considered the evidence presented, noting that there was no indication the children had previously been separated from their mother for any significant duration, nor was there evidence that the paternal family were familiar figures in the children's lives. Based on these considerations, the court was not satisfied that the father's proposal to take the children to the United States for five weeks was in their best interests.

Consequently, the court dismissed the father's application.