Judith Lane - Home and Away Characters

Judith Lane (2005)
Jane Fullerton-Smith
Episodes: 4010–4011

Occupation: Custody mediator

When Irene and Diana both applied for custody of Olivia after Chloe’s death, Judith attended the beach house to mediate the issue. Morag, acting for Irene, argued that Irene had had the closer relationship with Chloe and Olivia while Diana had been estranged from the family. Diana denied it, claiming they had reconciled, and also bringing up the fact that Irene had been convicted of stealing in 1985 and the fact her own children had been taken into care.

The next day, Judith arrived to find Irene and Olivia absent. Diana insisted that Irene had run off with Olivia (which was actually the truth) but Barry arrived back with the pair and Judith accepted their story of going to the shops and getting a flat tyre. Judith questioned Olivia, who said she liked living with Irene but also liked it in the city. She was considerably less enthusiastic about Diana, but since Judith questioned her with Diane in the room she clammed up and Judith ignored Irene’s claims that Diane had intimidated her. Afterwards, Judith awarded custody to Diana as the closest relation.

Judith’s decision was overruled a few days later however, when James Fraser arrived and declared himself to be the executor of Chloe’s will, in which she had stipulated that Diana should, in no circumstances, get custody of Olivia. Instead, James was to take on guardianship.