John Edwards inquest: children's lawyer defends not telling court of no-contact wish

Custody hearing wasn't told Jennifer Edwards felt uncomfortable with her father knowing anything about her

Slain schoolgirl Jennifer Edwards told an independent children's lawyer she wanted an order forbidding her father from contacting her but that was never explicitly relayed to the family court, a Sydney inquest has heard.

The lawyer, Debbie Morton, denied she was obliged to tell the judge of the 13-year-old's wishes in February 2018 when final custody arrangements were being signed off, saying judges and magistrates had previously told her not to disclose a child's actual wish in court.