British law allows admission into evidence of assets a spouse’s private documents obtained by the other spouse peacefully but by stealth.
Until now. The British Court of Appeal, an intermediate appellate court, just struck down that vast body of law.
In the case before the appellate court, office mates of the Husband copied files from office computers for Wife’s use in their divorce court case.
The holding will make it more difficult and expensive for spouses ignorant of the other spouse’s financial affairs to prove their spouse’s income and assets for purposes of determining child support, alimony and property division.
The Court’s justifications? Concerns about violating privilege and encouraging illegal and / or unethical conduct.
The appellate court has denied leave to appeal to Britain’s highest court.
Read more in this Forbes article: Private documents no longer allowed in divorce and this UK Guardian article: Covertly found assets no longer valid in divorce.
