Thornton and Reece

In the matter of *Thornton and Reece*, heard by Brown J, the dispute concerned parental responsibility and contact arrangements for two children, T and K. The father's amended response filed on 23 June 2006 was also before the court.

The court was required to determine the appropriate orders regarding sole parental responsibility for the children, the extent of the father's time and communication with them, and the conditions under which the father's amended response could be reinstated.

Brown J ordered that the mother have sole parental responsibility for the children. The father was to have no time or communication with the children until further order. The father's amended response was struck out, with a right of reinstatement contingent upon the filing of an affidavit from a psychiatrist or psychologist confirming the father had completed at least ten therapeutic sessions and providing a report on his treatment and prognosis. The court also made orders for service of the sealed order, dismissal of extant applications, removal of the matter from the list of matters awaiting finalisation, and provided information regarding obligations and consequences of contravening the orders pursuant to the *Family Law Act 1975*.