Devious Husbands

It is amazing the lengths some people go to in order to defeat their spouse's claim to financial provision on divorce. The Scotsman today reports the dismissal of an appeal against a ruling annulling a husband's bankruptcy and ordering him to pay a £1m lump sum to his former wife.

William Paulin issued proceedings for a bankruptcy order to be made against himself when confronted with his wife's application for financial relief. This resulted in the divorce court being unable to order a settlement and the wife having to apply for the bankruptcy to be annulled.

After accepting the wife's evidence that her husband had issued threats that were she to take him to court, he would hide his assets and ensure that she got nothing and he had substantial undisclosed assets Lord Justice Wilson condemned devious husbands.

The judgment is here.