All posts

21.07.23

Part 36 Offers: when tactics fail

When contemplating, and, during the course of, litigation parties are actively encouraged to settle their dispute without the matter proceeding to trial.  Whilst parties can choose to make an offer to settle in any manner they wish, Part 36 of the Civil Procedure Rules has been designed to encourage parties to attempt to resolve matters…

14.04.23

Financial remedy orders following divorce: The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 turns 50, but is it still fit for purpose?

This year, the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (the ‘Act’) reaches its fiftieth anniversary. Unfortunately, not everyone in the family law community will see this as a cause for celebration. There are increasing concerns that the law the Act contains is now out of step with those depending on it, and    calls for reform continue to…

5.01.22

When lawyers are the only winners: how not to handle your divorce

In Crowther v Crowther & Others (Financial Remedies) (Rev1) [2021] EWFC 88, Mr Justice Peel, sitting in the Family Division of the High Court, commented on the futility of litigation which saw the warring parties spend everything they were fighting over – and more. The Court found the couple’s total net assets to amount to…

£554m record divorce award against Dubai’s ruler

On 21 December 2021, the judgment in proceedings brought by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan against her ex-husband, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the current ruler of Dubai was published (Her Royal Highness Haya Bint Al Hussein v His Highness Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum [2021] EWFC 94). Sheikh Mohammed has been…

9.09.21

UK’s largest divorce pay-out enforcement action ends after four years of fighting

Following almost five years of fighting to enforce the largest divorce award ever granted in the UK, it was announced on Friday 16 July 2021 that Tatiana Akhmedova had accepted a settlement agreement from her ex-husband, Farkhad Akhmedov, bringing a seeming end to the acrimonious proceedings between the billionaire and his ex-wife. Ms Akhmedova was…

10.12.20

The Times pays libel damages to barrister Barbara Hewson over death threat allegations

Times Newspapers Limited has agreed to pay libel damages and legal costs to barrister Barbara Hewson after reporting that she was accused of making death threats and persistent nuisance phone calls to a law student in complaints to the Bar Standards Board and Leicestershire police. Neither the Bar Standards Board nor Leicestershire police pursued the…

22.05.20

Press Release: NoFap LLC and Alexander Rhodes secure substantial libel damages and apology from Scram News

Scram Media Limited and two of its contributors have apologised and agreed to pay defamation damages to US-based NoFap LLC and its founder Alexander Rhodes after publishing an article on ScramNews.com titled “Academic receives “death threats” from far-right after crowdfunding campaign to sue her.” NoFap runs an online pornography recovery platform that enables users to…

21.05.20

Revisiting financial settlements where it is discovered a former spouse lied about their finances

In reaching a financial settlement on divorce both parties will rely on full honest disclosure of their income and wealth by the other party.   But all too often one party fails to make a complete disclosure, and sometimes it is many years after the settlement before the truth comes out.  A recent decision confirms the…

28.07.18

The Sun pays damages to estate of revenge porn victim

News Group Newspapers Ltd (‘NGN’), the publishers of The Sun newspaper, have paid a five-figure sum in damages to the estate of a victim of revenge porn. Susanne Hinte had 15 minutes of fame in 2016 following Camelot’s rejection of her £33m jackpot claim on the basis that she submitted a heavily damaged ticket, which…

11.06.17

Breach of privacy: Sir Cliff Richard settles claim against South Yorkshire Police

Following a high-profile, televised police raid on his Berkshire home in 2014, Sir Cliff Richard issued claims against the BBC and South Yorkshire Police for the misuse of his private information, infringement of his Article 8 ECHR right to a private life, and breach of the Data Protection Act 1998. In a recent hearing before…