In the case Pitman [2024] FedCFamC1A 51, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) presided over by Austin J, determined two applications concerning Ms. Pitman, a litigant who sought leave to appeal against two prior judgments. The first application aimed to challenge the dismissal of a contempt application against the father of her children, while the second sought to overturn a vexatious litigant injunction imposed on her. The basis for requiring leave to appeal stems from section 102QE of the Family Law Act 1975, which necessitates an applicant to demonstrate that their appeal is not vexatious. The court found that all purported grounds for both appeals were spurious and met the definition of vexatious proceedings under section 102Q(1) of the Act. Consequently, both applications were dismissed.
From the TLDR Caselaw Archive