(Family Division, Holman J, 28 June 2012) 

The 15-year-old girl decided to stop having contact with her father after a number of years. At the FHDRA the Cafcass officer reported to the parents and the judge that the girl was expressing an unwillingness to have contact with her father particularly in the lead up to her GCSEs. No order for contact was made.

The mother applied for costs of £2,468 and the judge ordered that the father should pay. The father appealed. Although there was a real prospect of success on appeal, by reason of proportionality the application should be refused.