Spousal Maintenance: like Child Support but for Adults

1.      Back in the day, deserting your spouse was more common than divorce. As a result, many spouses were left to fend for themselves. This made it necessary for the abandoned spouse to apply to the Court for orders that their spouse provide financial support. If an order for financial support was made by the … Read more >

Trust-busting when a relationship ends: the new rule from the Supreme Court

In June 2023, the Supreme Court of New Zealand released a long-awaited decision in the case of Sutton v Bell.  Executive summary The effect of the decision in Sutton v Bell is that it has now become easier to bust assets out of a trust after a relationship ends.  The Court ruled that s44 of … Read more >

Throuple Trouble – An Analysis of Mead v Paul

Recently, the New Zealand Supreme Court decided Mead v Paul. This case asked if the Family Court had jurisdiction to decide the division of relationship property between a ‘throuple’.  The Property (Relationships) Act 1976 (the Act) governs the division of relationship property when a relationship ends.  The crux of the issue was that, on the … Read more >

Top Ten Tips for Saving Your Family From Legal Disputes: Part 2

The first installment of Ten Tips for Saving your Family from Legal Disputes ended on a light-hearted note about a very serious matter – Kayne West and his sage advice to get a pre-nuptial agreement.  Here are our five final tips gleaned from many years of assisting clients through family disputes. Should you need advice … Read more >

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