In the first of a two-part analysis, Deborah Jeff questions whether the Privy Council decision in Scatliffe v Scatliffe has further developed the law on non-matrimonial assets ‘It isn’t clear whether the intention of the Privy Council was to introduce the principles of both needs and compensation when considering whether non-matrimonial property should be shared.’ …
Continue reading "Non-Matrimonial Property: Moving forward?"
This post is only available to members.
Lehna Hewitt reviews cases where a special contribution argument has been successful, and the outcome in Work v Gray ‘The Court of Appeal reiterated in Work v Gray that the correct approach is to determine whether a contribution is “wholly exceptional” and did not endorse the use of the word “genius”.’ It is possible to …
Continue reading "Special Contribution: Exceptional qualities"
This post is only available to members.
Fiona Turner considers whether inherited wealth is more likely to result in a departure from equality than earned wealth ‘Assuming the parties’ needs are met, the courts may distinguish between different categories of non-matrimonial property.’ Parties on divorce usually have a strong claim to share in the matrimonial property that has been built up during …
Continue reading "Non-Matrimonial Assets: Further distinction"
This post is only available to members.
Wills & Trusts Law Reports | July/August 2016 #161Mr and Mrs Clayton were married in 1989, had two daughters who were born in 1990 and 1994, separated in 2006 and were divorced in 2009. By the time of the separation Mr Clayton had built up a significant saw milling and timber processing business, which operated from land and buildings in Vaughan Road, Rotorua. By declaration of trust dated 14 June 1999 (VRPT) Mr Clayton settled the land and buildings, with himself as sole trustee, on discretionary trusts for the benefit of a class of beneficiaries that included Mr Clayton as ‘principal family member’, Mrs Clayton as his wife or former w...
Joanne Hall summarises the courts’ approach to post-separation growth in assets and the diverging views of the judiciary ‘The judgment in JB v MB reinforces that the law on post-separation accrual is highly fact specific and discretionary but must also be consistent and predictable.’ If the title of this article sounds like a Star Trek …
Continue reading "Financial Provision: Continuum or new venture?"
This post is only available to members.
Wills & Trusts Law Reports | October 2015 # 153Having entered into a pre-nuptial agreement, WA (‘the wife’) married HA (‘the husband’) in 1997. The wife was an heiress and the husband brought modest assets of his own to the marriage. They kept their finances separate. The couple and their three children lived on a very large estate (‘the Z estate’) during the marriage and restored it using the wife’s finances.
The marriage broke down in 2014. Both the wife and husband instructed expert family lawyers which supported the brokerage of an agreement. Following disclosure of their respective gross and net incomes, it was agreed tha...
Claire Reid looks at what is required for the court to conclude that a party has made a stellar contribution ‘The difficulty in comparing different contributions risks discrimination against homemakers. This unfortunate application of the law generates a distasteful distinction in the 21st century.’ In Cooper-Hohn v Hohn [2014] one of the principal issues considered …
Continue reading "Financial Provision: Extra special"
This post is only available to members.
Richard Adams examines the factors that may justify an unequal division of assets ‘A special contribution should only be taken into account if there was such a disparity in the parties’ respective contributions to the welfare of the family that it would be inequitable to disregard.’ Practitioners will be familiar with the strong feelings that …
Continue reading "Financial Provision: Sharing the wealth"
This post is only available to members.
Suzanne Todd and Luca Del Panta examine the future of pre-nups in the light of the Law Commission’s report ‘“Needs” in the context of a pre-nuptial agreement can be significantly less than they would otherwise be. But where the guillotine falls in any given case is intensely fact-specific.’ When, in October 2010, the Supreme Court …
Continue reading "Pre-Nuptial Agreements: Turning of the tide"
This post is only available to members.
Jane Booth analyses the factors the courts will take into account when considering non-matrimonial assets ‘When considering the division of assets, where the assets are neither matrimonial assets nor jointly generated by the parties, the duration of the marriage might be a significant factor in the determination of the distribution.’ The decision in G v …
Continue reading "Non-Matrimonial Assets: A question of inclusion"
This post is only available to members.
