Tillman and Tillman (No 4)

In the matter of Tillman and Tillman (No 4), Bennett J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the father, Mr Tillman, concerning financial matters and the management of certain bank accounts. The dispute involved the father's request for orders relating to the control of accounts held in the names of the parties' children, E and N, and the reimbursement of funds withdrawn by the mother, Ms Tillman.

The court was required to determine whether to grant the father leave to file an affidavit of service, admit bank statements as evidence, and appoint a Registrar to authorise the father as the sole signatory to specific bank accounts to the exclusion of the mother. Furthermore, the court had to consider whether the mother should reimburse the children for monies withdrawn from these accounts and how such reimbursement should be effected, as well as the disposition of the father's initiating application.

Bennett J reasoned that it was appropriate to grant leave for the filing of the affidavit of service and to admit the bank statements as an exhibit. Crucially, the court exercised its power under s 106A(1) of the *Family Law Act 1975* to appoint a Registrar to sign necessary documents to make the father the sole signatory to the children's bank accounts, thereby excluding the mother. This decision was made in light of the mother's withdrawals from these accounts. The court ordered the mother to reimburse the children for all monies withdrawn from the specified accounts from 14 February 2014, including a sum of $6,000. This reimbursement was to be facilitated by the father deducting the withdrawn amounts from his own payments to the mother under a prior property order and paying them into the children's accounts. The father's initiating application was otherwise dismissed. Liberty to apply was granted, and the court indicated it would initially hear any applications filed within the next 12 months.