Walmsley and Walmsley (No 2)

In *Walmsley and Walmsley (No 2)*, Strickland J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application concerning the exchange of evidence and disclosure of documents in family law proceedings. The dispute involved the husband and wife, with the court addressing various procedural matters to ensure the efficient progression of the case towards final hearing.

The court was required to determine the appropriate orders regarding the filing and service of affidavits of evidence in chief for both parties and their respective witnesses, including the husband's mother and the wife's mother and Ms K. Additionally, the court needed to address the husband's application for leave to file an amended application for final orders and to facilitate the disclosure of specific documents by the wife in relation to an item on the balance sheet. The court also had to set a timetable for these exchanges and for the presentation of evidence from the wife's other witnesses.

Strickland J ordered that certain affidavits filed by the husband be returned and that he file and serve new affidavits, along with his mother's affidavit, by a specified date. Leave was granted *nunc pro tunc* for the husband to file his amended application. The court also directed the husband to request specific document disclosure from the wife, who was then ordered to discover and produce those documents within a set timeframe. The wife was further ordered to file and serve her own evidence in chief, along with affidavits from her mother and Ms K, and to provide statements of proposed evidence for other witnesses. The proceedings were then adjourned to resume part-heard on a future date with a limited time estimate.