Richard Kershaw examines the Haskell v Haskell case and its implications for divorce law in Lawyer Monthly

Richard’s article was published in Lawyer Monthly, 9 March 2020, and can be seen here.

Richard Kershaw, Partner in our Family & Relationships department, explains that the case of Haskell v Haskell shows how seriously the courts take honesty in divorce proceedings.

Despite Mr Haskell claiming he was £50 million in debt, the judge ordered him to pay his wife nearly £6 million. The court found that many of his supposed debts were actually owed to people or companies connected to him, and didn’t count them as real liabilities.

His claims of having no money were also questioned after evidence showed he was still enjoying luxury holidays and expensive wine and hadn’t tried to sell any of his valuable assets. The judge also found that his behaviour towards his wife was controlling and manipulative.

This case, along with others like Moher v Moher and Goddard-Watts v Goddard-Watts, sends a clear message: trying to hide money or mislead the court is likely to backfire.

In Moher, the court said it can assume someone has enough money to pay if they refuse to be honest about their finances. In Goddard-Watts, a divorce settlement was changed twice after it was discovered the husband had hidden valuable assets.

These cases show that being open and truthful is not just expected, it’s essential, and failing to do so can lead to worse outcomes in the long run.

Read the full article on the Lawyer Monthly website [external link].