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Practice Direction (Family Division: Financial Statement): 1984

The decision of the Court of Appeal in Jenkins v. Livesey (formerly Jenkins) … is a reminder that in all cases where application is made for a financial provision or property adjustment order the court is required to have before it an agreed statement of the general nature of the means of each party signed … Continue reading Practice Direction (Family Division: Financial Statement): 1984

AC v DC and Others (Financial Remedy: Effect of S37 Avoidance Order) (No 1): FD 19 Jul 2012

The effect of an order under section 37 is to annul or ‘avoid’ the transaction under attack. Moreover, the bad intention to defeat the principal ancillary relief claim is presumed for transactions done within the three year period before the avoidance claim. There is no time limit on attackable transactions. A transaction done 20 years … Continue reading AC v DC and Others (Financial Remedy: Effect of S37 Avoidance Order) (No 1): FD 19 Jul 2012

Acts

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Crittenden v Crittenden: CA 12 Apr 1990

The word ‘property’ in the section refers only to property in which one or other of the parties has a beneficial interest, and the words ‘deal with’ relate to acts of dealing, not a lack of dealing with. Citations: [1990] 2 FLR 361, Times 12-Apr-1990 Statutes: Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 37(2)(a) Jurisdiction: England and Wales … Continue reading Crittenden v Crittenden: CA 12 Apr 1990

C v C: FD 29 Nov 2005

The court considered the practice on giving without notice orders. Judges: Munby J Citations: [2005] EWHC 2741 (Fam), [2006] Fam Law 353, [2006] 1 FLR 936 Links: Bailii Statutes: Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 37 Jurisdiction: Northern Ireland Family Updated: 21 July 2022; Ref: scu.279012

Bater v Greenwich London Borough Council: CA 28 Sep 1999

The couple being joint tenants of the matrimonial home had applied for its purchase form the Council. Divorce proceedings commenced and she purported to terminate the joint tenancy. He applied to set aside the notice, and the Local Authority intervened. Neither the right to buy, nor the notice to terminate were dispositions of property, and … Continue reading Bater v Greenwich London Borough Council: CA 28 Sep 1999

Krubert, Re; Krubert v Davis and Others: CA 27 Jun 1996

The beneficiaries under the will appealed against an order under the 1975 Act, effectively transferring the entire estate to the surviving spouse. Held: The effect of sections 1, 2 and the other material provisions of the 1975 Act is that on every application under it the court must ask itself two questions: first, has reasonable … Continue reading Krubert, Re; Krubert v Davis and Others: CA 27 Jun 1996

A-M v A-M (divorce: jurisdiction: validity of marriage): FD 2001

The parties had undergone a wedding ceremony under Islamic law, but not one which would constitute a marriage under UK law. H had been actively seeking to regularise the position as a matter of English law and had been advised that the parties needed to divorce and re-marry abroad to create a marriage which would … Continue reading A-M v A-M (divorce: jurisdiction: validity of marriage): FD 2001

Rockliff v Revenue and Customs: FTTTx 25 Jun 2009

FTTTx Income tax – pension payable to husband – claim that half of pension should be assessed on wife – Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 sections 1 and 19, Schedule E paragraph 2 – Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 sections 569, 571 and 572 – Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 sections 21A and … Continue reading Rockliff v Revenue and Customs: FTTTx 25 Jun 2009

Wilkinson v Kitzinger and Another: FD 12 Apr 2006

The petitioner intended to seek a declaration as to her marital status. She and the respondent had married in a civil ceremony in British Columbia in 2003. She sought a declaration of incompatibility with regard to section 11(3) of the 1973 Act so far as it failed to recognise same sex marriages. She now sought … Continue reading Wilkinson v Kitzinger and Another: FD 12 Apr 2006

A v B (Ancillary relief: Separation agreement): FD 17 Jan 2005

The husband appealed against an ancillary relief order, saying that the judge had applied the terms of a separation agreement without acknowledging that that agreement had been entered into without full disclosure having been made. Had the judge looked properly at the issues identified in the Act, the order would have been different. Held: The … Continue reading A v B (Ancillary relief: Separation agreement): FD 17 Jan 2005

Newlon Housing Trust v Alsulaimen and Another: HL 29 Jul 1998

A tenancy which had been terminated by a notice given by one of the joint tenants had expired. It did not come to an end by any deed, and so was not capable of being set aside by a family court in the course of divorce proceedings. The possession proceedings issued by the landlord could … Continue reading Newlon Housing Trust v Alsulaimen and Another: HL 29 Jul 1998

A v A (Maintenance Pending Suit: Provision for Legal Fees): FD 15 Nov 2000

An application for maintenance pending suit could properly be made, to include payment on account of the legal costs of pursuing the action. Such legal expense were of a recurring, and income type nature. Maintenance was not confined to the day to day living expenses of an applicant. In the absence of a statutory definition, … Continue reading A v A (Maintenance Pending Suit: Provision for Legal Fees): FD 15 Nov 2000

Kemmis v Kemmis (Welland and Others Intervening): CA 1988

H had mortgaged the matrimonial home to release funds to support his lifestyle. The bank knew about the family circumstances and the mortgage was set aside at first instance. W applied to have the charge set aside. Held: The application failed. The charge had been executed long before W had commenced her claims. The Court … Continue reading Kemmis v Kemmis (Welland and Others Intervening): CA 1988

Rapisarda v Colladon (Irregular Divorces): FC 30 Sep 2014

The court considered applications to set aside some 180 petitions for divorce on the grounds that they appeared to be attempts to pervert the course of justice by wrongfully asserting residence in order to benefit from the UK jurisdiction. Held: It had been asserted that the English court had jurisdiction to entertain the petition in … Continue reading Rapisarda v Colladon (Irregular Divorces): FC 30 Sep 2014

Prest v Petrodel Resources Ltd and Others: SC 12 Jun 2013

In the course of ancillary relief proceedings in a divorce, questions arose regarding company assets owned by the husband. The court was asked as to the power of the court to order the transfer of assets owned entirely in the company’s names. The judge had made such an order, finding evidence that the companies had … Continue reading Prest v Petrodel Resources Ltd and Others: SC 12 Jun 2013

Piglowska v Piglowski: HL 24 Jun 1999

No Presumption of House for both Parties When looking to the needs of parties in a divorce, there is no presumption that both parties are to be left able to purchase alternative homes. The order of sub-clauses in the Act implies nothing as to their relative importance. Courts should be reluctant to allow repeated appeals … Continue reading Piglowska v Piglowski: HL 24 Jun 1999

White v Withers Llp and Dearle: CA 27 Oct 2009

The claimant was involved in matrimonial ancillary relief proceedings. His wife was advised by the defendants, her solicitors, to remove his private papers. The claimant now sought permission to appeal against a strike out of his claim against the solicitors for wrongful interference with property by ‘possessing, taking or intercepting the claimant’s correspondence and documents … Continue reading White v Withers Llp and Dearle: CA 27 Oct 2009

Radmacher (Formerly Granatino) v Granatino: SC 20 Oct 2010

The parties, from Germany and France married and lived at first in England. They had signed a pre-nuptial agreement in Germany which would have been valid in either country of origin. H now appealed against a judgment which bound him to it, restricting his ancillary relief. Held: H’s appeal failed (Lady Hale dissenting). Separation agreements … Continue reading Radmacher (Formerly Granatino) v Granatino: SC 20 Oct 2010

Mills v Mills: SC 18 Jul 2018

The Court was asked: ‘In circumstances in which at the time of a divorce a spouse, say a wife, is awarded capital which enables her to purchase a home but later she exhausts the capital by entry into a series of unwise transactions and so develops a . .

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Rapisarda v Colladon (Irregular Divorces); FC 30 Sep 2014

References: [2014] EWFC 35 Links: Bailii Coram: Sir James Munby P FD The court considered applications to set aside some 180 petitions for divorce on the grounds that they appeared to be attempts to pervert the course of justice by wrongfully asserting residence in order to benefit from the UK jurisdiction. Held: It had been … Continue reading Rapisarda v Colladon (Irregular Divorces); FC 30 Sep 2014