Vine and Vine

In the matter of *Vine and Vine*, Berman J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application concerning the living arrangements and time spent with a child, X. The dispute arose between the parents, the applicant mother and the respondent father, regarding the future care and welfare of their child.

The court was required to determine the appropriate orders for X's residence and time spent with each parent. Specifically, the court had to consider whether to suspend an existing order and establish new arrangements for X to live with the mother and spend time with the father.

Berman J reasoned that it was in the child's best interests to vary the existing orders. The court ordered that a previous order (order 6 of 10 March 2015) be suspended. The court further ordered that X shall live with the mother from the conclusion of school on 14 June 2016 to the commencement of school on 4 July 2016. Until further order, X is to live with the mother. Additionally, X is to spend time with the father each alternate weekend from the conclusion of school on Thursday to the commencement of school on the following Monday, commencing 7 July 2016.