This case involved a bifurcated, high-conflict six-day trial concerning the custody and access of three children.
The applicant mother and respondent father each claimed custody, with the children having resided with the mother since separation in 2012.
The primary dispute revolved around the re-establishment of the children's relationship with the father, with the mother proposing preconditions for reunification therapy (e.g., father undertaking anger management) and the father advocating for unconditional reunification therapy, aligning with the Office of the Children's Lawyer.
The court ordered reunification therapy for the two younger children, rejecting the mother's preconditions and establishing a detailed framework for the therapy process, including therapist selection, shared payment, and the therapist's authority over access timelines.
The children were to continue residing with the mother, and no immediate access order was made, pending the therapist's recommendations.