Financial Remedies Journal: VV v VV [2022] EWFC 46

VV v VV [2022] EWFC 4617 May 2022

Published: 18/05/2022 09:00

Polly Morgan | Case EditorPolly is the sole author of the textbook Morgan's Family Law (Oxford University Press 2021) and contributes the chapter on financial remedies to Lamont's Family Law (2nd edn Oxford University Press 2022). An associate professor at UEA Law School, Polly is also Director of the multi award-winning UEA Law Clinic. A solicitor and law firm co-founder, she now practises exclusively in the free family law advice clinic of Norfolk Community Law Service. She is a Transparency Project committee member, former Chair of collaborative pod Good Divorce Group Norfolk, and a former committee member of the Norfolk & Norwich Law Society and Norfolk Resolution.

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/HCJ/2022/46.html

Peel J.

Costs judgment following outcome of acrimonious and expensive financial remedy proceedings (summary here. W’s award included what H had paid already towards her legal costs (£400k) plus sufficient to discharge her outstanding legal costs (£237,000). H had been responsible for litigation misconduct, yet W’s conduct had been obvious and gross, depriving H of tens of millions of pounds.

W had beaten H’s offer, and H had beaten W’s offer by an even greater amount. Despite needs-based award to W, it was not unfair for her to contribute to H’s costs. H sought £450,000 in costs. W was ordered to pay £100,000, a sum that would have been higher had it not been for H’s own litigation misconduct.

National Archives link (pdf available).