Blog
Civil Fraud Quarterly Round-Up: Q4 2025
Mary Young
9 September 2013
Protecting yourself against future financial claims decades after marriage breakdown
The recent case of Vince v Wyatt [2013] EWCA Civ 495 is a stark example (and warning) of why it is becoming increasingly important to obtain a final financial order if you have taken the decision to get divorced, and why you should always retain any documentation relating to your divorce and financial matters.
22 August 2013
Preparing for marriage: the views of a family lawyer
All relationships require give and take from both parties and can, in spite of good intentions, be hard work at times.
I recently attended a marriage preparation meeting with my fiancé, run by our vicar ahead of our summer wedding. It made for an interesting discussion, during which we were asked some rather probing questions including; how well we communicate; how we manage our finances; whether we want children; what common interests we hold; how much time we spend together and how we intend to manage our finances (particularly if we have children).
23 January 2013
Husband jailed for not disclosing his assets in divorce case
The divorce case of Young v Young has been rumbling through the courts for four years. It got going just as the financial crisis took hold in 2008/2009. Scot Young, in sunnier times, was supposed to have been worth £400 million. The couple had children together, and Michelle Young is seeking a full payout on divorce.
22 November 2012
Inherited wealth in big divorces remains unresolved
The recent case of Davies v Davies has been widely reported in the press as “the end of multi-million payouts for wives”. It isn’t the end. Separating wives and their lawyers can sleep at night. More importantly the case shows just how hard the courts are finding it to establish new law on inherited wealth, or pre-marital business assets which one party brought into the marriage.
8 November 2012
Is it two nil to the non discloser?
The recent Court of Appeal decision of Petrodel Resources Limited v Prest [2012] has (once again) caused a ripple of shock amongst family lawyers, and it highlights the conflict between the differing approach of Judges in the Family Division and those in the Chancery Division. The Court of Appeal, by a majority of 2 to 1, overturned an Order for the transfer to the wife of various properties owned by corporate entities which were owned and controlled by the husband.