A costs decision following a family law trial concerning access to a two-year-old child.
The respondent was largely successful on the primary issue and made a formal Offer to Settle eight days before trial that mirrored the final judgment.
The applicant refused to settle and took an intransigent position throughout the litigation.
The court awarded costs at 50% of the respondent's claimed amount, reducing the award due to the respondent's poor conduct and behaviour in the early stages of the litigation, despite his ultimate success and the applicant's failure to negotiate.
