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Latest

Stealing documents in divorce proceedings ruled illegal

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Release Date:
29 July 2010
Source:
Spear's WMS

Sandra Davis, head of family at Mishcon de Reya, said: 'Non-disclosure of assets already happens. Mishcon de Reya carried out its own research recently among high earning men. More than one in ten of them admitted they would hide assets if there was a chance their marriage would end in a bid to influence the pot to be divided...

'A wife who can't otherwise rely on documents that she knows prove what she says about non disclosure or hidden assets will have to send in a battalion of lawyers to seize, squeeze and freeze. If she can't afford to do this, she may very well not get a fair outcome. The pendulum has swung again, this time in favour of husbands.'

Melissa Lesson, also at Mishcon, agreed: 'It's bad news both for women and divorce. It's going to make it a whole lot more litigious and it's going to have huge ramifications - everyone is reeling.' Ms Lesson added that the judgment may have been appropriate for the particular circumstances of this case - high-profile, concerning a lot of money - but that the wider effect would be harmful. 

Read the full article at www.spearswms.com.