Mother found guilty of contravening orders for child custody and schooling; ordered to compensate father and enter into bond
In the case of Papp & Myers (No 2) [2022] FedCFamC1F 937, the mother was found guilty of contravening court orders 18 times related to the custody and schooling of her child. The court found her guilty without a reasonable excuse for nine counts and ordered her to compensate the father for expenses and enter into a good behavior bond for 24 months. The court did not order compensation for time lost and adjourned the matter to consider if final orders should be varied. The mother consistently referred to her narrative that the father did not want the child and that she gave birth to him alone without the assistance of the father. The judge found the mother to be an unreliable witness and preferred her own social life to the best interests of the child. The judge rejected the mother's claims that the father was abusive and careless of the child's wellbeing, and found that the mother was the abuser.
