This was a costs-only family law decision arising from prolonged delay and deficient materials in obtaining an uncontested divorce after the parties had already settled their divorce action.
The court applied Rule 24 of the Family Law Rules and found that the responding party's conduct had turned a simple divorce into unnecessary motion litigation, justifying a substantial costs award to the moving party.
The court also considered whether counsel should bear costs personally under the Young and Galganov framework, but declined to do so despite serious concern with counsel's conduct.
Costs of $2,750 all-inclusive were ordered payable by the responding party within 30 days.
