Yathopoulos and Yathopoulos

This matter concerned parenting orders made by Justice Brown in the Family Court of Australia. The proceedings involved the husband and the wife, with an independent children's lawyer also participating. The dispute centred on the arrangements for the care, welfare, and development of the parties' two children, G and V.

The court was required to determine the specific parenting orders that would best serve the interests of the children. This involved establishing arrangements for shared parental responsibility, day-to-day care, and the time the children would spend with each parent, including during school terms and holidays. The court also needed to address communication between the parents and children, and to consider measures aimed at facilitating co-parenting and addressing issues arising from family reports.

Justice Brown, with the consent of the wife and the independent children's lawyer, made comprehensive orders discharging previous parenting orders. The court ordered shared parental responsibility and that the children live with the wife, while detailing specific time arrangements for the children to spend with the husband during school terms and holidays. Further orders included provisions for communication, restrictions on conduct that could negatively impact the children or the other parent, and mandatory attendance at post-separation parenting and child inclusive therapeutic programs. The court also ordered the discharge of the independent children's lawyer and the dismissal of all extant proceedings, with particulars of obligations and consequences for contravention set out in an attached Fact Sheet.