The former husband appealed against an order made on the basis that his transfer of a company shareholding was a sham. Citations: [2011] EWCA Civ 232 Links: Bailii Statutes: Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 23 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Family Updated: 03 September 2022; Ref: scu.430466
Application as to payment of funds held where the payer was a fugitive from justice, owing sums in maintenance to the claimant. W applied for an order setting aside a charge granted by H over property. In previous hearing the court had found that H had been motivated by extreme malice toward W and his … Continue reading Kremen v Agrest: FD 15 Oct 2010
The court was asked whether for the purposes of English divorce and connected proceedings a Talaq pronounced by the respondent husband in Saudi Arabia and placed by Deed of Confirmation before the Sharia Court is entitled to be afforded recognition in this jurisdiction. The parties had married in England. Held: It was to be recognised: … Continue reading H v S: FD 18 Nov 2011
Application made by the Wife, for financial provision after an overseas divorce pursuant to Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984. Judges: Mr Justice Moor Citations: [2022] EWHC 2701 (Fam) Links: Bailii Jurisdiction: England and Wales Family Updated: 14 November 2022; Ref: scu.682239
The parties, on divorcing had a greed, under court order that W should obtain the release of H from his covenants under the mortgage of the family home. She had been unable to do so, and sought that order to be varied to allow postponement of her performance until the youngest child attained 18. H … Continue reading Birch v Birch: SC 26 Jul 2017
The parties purchased a property together. The transfer contained a survivorship restriction but no declaration of the beneficial interests. The judge had held the property to be held as tenants in commn on equal shares. Held: In a case where the property has been transferred into joint names, it can usually be taken for granted … Continue reading Stack v Dowden: CA 13 Jul 2005
Judges: Mrs Justice Parker Citations: [2013] EWHC 3756 (Fam) Links: Bailii Statutes: Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Family Updated: 23 July 2022; Ref: scu.519037
H had been granted a divorce on the grounds of W’s adultery. The court considered how the clean break provisions could be incorporated in a situation with children and how conduct might affect periodical payments. Held: The duty to consider a clean break applies whether or not there are children. The judge had erred in … Continue reading Suter v Suter and Jones: CA 19 Dec 1986
The defendant family was served without notice with an anti-social behaviour order ordering them to leave their home immediately, and making other very substantial restrictions. The evidence in large part related to other people entirely. Held: To grant an injunction without notice is to grant an exceptional remedy. As to hearsay evidence: ‘ the experience … Continue reading Moat Housing Group-South Ltd v Harris and Another: CA 16 Mar 2005
The parties disputed an ancillary relief claim on their divorce. The husband had been suicidally depressed. The wife had committed adultery over a long time and also assisted her husband’s failed suicide. The husband now sought to rely upon her behaviour, saying it would be inequitable to ignore it. Held: The husband’s appeal was allowed. … Continue reading Kyte v Kyte: CA 22 Jul 1987
In ancillary relief proceedings, the husband had not made frank disclosure of his assets. The final Calderbank offer of andpound;600,000 was made only the day before the substantive hearing. The offer was rejected. The judge awarded the wife a lump sum of andpound;1 million. The judge made no order as to costs after the date … Continue reading Gojkovic v Gojkovic (No 2): CA 1 Apr 1991
The husband had left the wife for another woman. Adultery by the husband was not a ground for divorce absent aggravating circumstances, such as incest. The parties had entered into a deed of separation under which the husband had paid two lump sums and agreed to make weekly payments of andpound;20 for the life of … Continue reading Hyman v Hyman: 1929
The court considered the way of distributing property purchased by an unmarried couple: ‘When such a relationship comes to an end, just as with many divorced couples, there are likely to be disputes about the distribution of shared property. How are such disputes to be decided? They cannot be decided in the same way as … Continue reading Walker v Hall: CA 1984
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
The claimant was the first wife of the deceased. She said that the deceased had promised her a substantial cash sum in his will in return for not pursuing him for arrears of maintenance. The will made no such provision, and she sought payment from the estate. It was argued that the agreement was unenforceable. … Continue reading Soulsbury v Soulsbury: CA 10 Oct 2007
The court considered its ability to vary a consent order, made in 1982 on the divorce, which provided for the sale of the matrimonial home ten years later in 1992 and for the equal division of the proceeds of sale. Periodical payments were to be made to the wife and the two children who remained … Continue reading Peacock v Peacock: FD 1991
Evidence Needed to Share Benefical Inerests The family home had been purchased during the marriage in the name of the husband only. The wife asserted that she had a beneficial interest in it. Held: The principles apply to any case where a beneficial interest in land is claimed by a person, whether spouse or stranger, … Continue reading Gissing v Gissing: HL 7 Jul 1970
H has no right to sexual intercourse with W – rape The defendant appealed against his conviction for having raped his wife, saying that intercourse with his wife was necessarily lawful, and therefore outside the statutory definition of rape. Due to the matrimonial difficulties, the wife had left their matrimonial house and gone to her … Continue reading Regina v R: HL 23 Oct 1991
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
A husband and wife disputed ownership of the matrimonial home in the context of the presumption of advancement.Lord Reid said: ‘These considerations have largely lost their force under present conditions, and, unless the law has lost its flexibility so that the courts can no longer adapt it to changing conditions the strength of the presumption … Continue reading Pettitt v Pettitt: HL 23 Apr 1969
The defendant appealed against orders allowing the use in evidence against him of information provided by him in ancillary relief proceedings, and without prejudice negotations with his wife’s solicitors. Held: The information provided through the formal ancillary relief process had been obtained under compulsion, and the rules had been intended to require full disclosure and … Continue reading K, Regina v: CACD 28 Jul 2009
Rule Against Appeal was Ultra Vires W had applied to have set aside the consent order made on her ancillary relief application accusing the husband of material non-disclosure. She complained that her application to have the order varied had been refused on the ground that her only remedy was in an appeal. Held: The appeal … Continue reading CS v ACS and Another: FD 16 Apr 2015
H and W separated and in 1976, without any pressure H and at the instigation of W, signed a deed of separation negotiated through solicitors. H agreed to purchase a house for W, to confer on her capital benefits worth approximately andpound;100,000, to pay her andpound;16,000 a year and to make periodical payments for the … Continue reading Edgar v Edgar: CA 23 Jul 1980
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
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
Proceedings applying for an anti-social behaviour order, were properly civil proceedings, with civil standards of evidence, and the Human Rights Act provisions relating to criminal proceedings, were not applicable either. The section included acts . .
This is a continuation of the list of significant recent cases on our front page. As a most recent case pushes its way to the top, the last on teh front page falls into here. Newest significant cases.
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
1267 – 1278 – 1285 – 1297 – 1361 – 1449 – 1491 – 1533 – 1677 – 1688 – 1689 – 1700 – 1706 – 1710 – 1730 – 1737 – 1738 – 1751 – 1774 – 1792 – 1793 – 1804 – 1814 – 1819 – 1824 – 1828 – 1831 – 1832 … Continue reading Acts