Final Reflections on Standish: Was It All Worthwhile?

If asked, Mr Standish may say that three rounds of litigation, with another to follow, were worth it – Mrs Standish, perhaps not. But for lawyers, with many questions left unanswered, and a feeling that the opportunity to settle the law on matrimonialisation with clarity and certainty has passed us by, it may not have been worthwhile.

• Blog

• Matrimonial and Non-Matrimonial Property
• Matrimonialisation

• Calum Smith

!09/07/2025 10:15

Source not Title: Some First Reflections on Standish

On 15 and 16 November 2023, Standish v Standish came before a Court of Appeal comprising King, Moylan and Phillips LJJ. 189 days later, Moylan LJ delivered the court’s unanimous decision: Mrs Standish’s (‘W’) appeal was dismissed, and Mr Standish’s (‘H’) appeal allowed, subject to the matter being remitted for a needs-based assessment of W’s claims.

• Journal

• Matrimonial and Non-Matrimonial Property
• Matrimonialisation

• Calum Smith

!31/05/2024 09:32

Cazalet v Abu-Zalaf [2023] EWCA Civ 106522 September 2023

King, Moylan and Peter Jackson LJJ. An appeal brought against the decision of Mostyn J concerning the approach the court should take when faced with an application to rescind a decree nisi.

• Cases

• Setting Aside a Decree Nisi

• Calum Smith

Goddard-Watts – The Second Sequel: Fraud Unravels All, Sometimes

The words ‘Goddard-Watts’ may cause a feeling of déjà vu for financial remedy practitioners. After their separation and divorce (in 2009 and 2010, respectively) the parties settled by consent the financial relief claims arising from the…

• Journal

• Fraud

• Harry Campbell
• Calum Smith

!03/07/2023 08:00

Rose v Rose & Ors [2022] EWFC 19225 November 2022

His Honour Judge Booth (sitting as a Judge of the High Court pursuant to s 9 SCA 1981).How should the court ‘deal with a respondent husband who has been dishonest throughout, has failed to comply with court orders, has failed to provide relevant fin…

• Cases

• Conduct
• Variation of Settlements
• Trusts

• Calum Smith

James v Seymour [2023] EWHC 844 (Fam)19 April 2023

Mostyn J. An appeal concerning the correct approach to the calculation of child maintenance liability in which Mostyn J adds to the ever-expanding repository of family law acronyms.

• Cases

• Publicity and Confidentiality
• Child Maintenance
• Variation Applications
• Children Act 1989 Schedule 1 Applications
• Child Support

• Calum Smith

Xanthopoulos v Rakshina [2023] EWFC 504 April 2023

Sir Jonathan Cohen. The latest and, one hopes, final episode in a legal saga involving financial remedy, jurisdiction and children litigation spaning 60 hearings between Russia and England, in which H alone had sought counsel and legal advice from 7 firms…

• Cases

• Conduct
• Companies
• Costs
• Overseas Divorce and the 1984 Act
• Professional Ethics
• Legal Services Payment Orders

• Calum Smith

G v G (Confiscation Order: Conduct) [2023] EWFC 1626 January 2023

HHJ Robinson. The Husband ('H') was 53, the Wife ('W') 50. Having cohabited from 1999 and married in 2006, the parties had two children of ages 15 and 11. W was a secretary but a debilitating illness precluded her from working. H was a doctor before he wa…

• Cases

• Conduct

• Calum Smith

A (former wife) v A (former husband) [2023] EWFC 412 January 2023

Recorder Laura Moys. Helpful approach to case management with exceptionally difficult LiP.W was 57, H 59. They separated after 30 years of marriage, producing one child (now aged 30). The assets were worth £1.3m. W was a manager at her local county counci…

• Cases

• Managing Difficult Hearings
• Conduct

• Calum Smith

W v H (Contested Divorce) [2022] EWFC 1502 November 2022

HHJ Greensmith. H defended W’s petition for divorce. The parties were 45. H was a doctor and W a social worker. They married in Australia in 2014 and separated in 2017. They have three children.This was not H’s first round of contested divorce/financial r…

• Cases

• Intermediaries
• Defended Divorce
• Costs

• Calum Smith