ZIDANE & AOITA

In the matter of *ZIDANE & AOITA*, heard before Macmillan J, the proceedings concerned an application by the mother, to which the father had filed a response. The specific nature of the dispute between the parties is not detailed in the provided text, but it involved an initiating application and a response thereto.

The court was required to determine whether the father's response to the mother's further amended initiating application should be struck out, and whether the order appointing an Independent Children's Lawyer should be discharged. The father's failure to attend court or provide instructions on the day of the hearing was a significant factor in the court's determination.

Macmillan J ordered that the father's response to the mother's further amended initiating application be struck out and removed from the list of cases awaiting hearing. The father was granted liberty to apply for the reinstatement of his response, provided he filed an affidavit explaining his failure to attend or give instructions. Furthermore, the order for the appointment of the Independent Children's Lawyer was discharged.