58 year old Katriona MacFarlane claimed in divorce proceedings and again in the Court of Appeal on Monday 20th February 2017, that she had abandoned her career ‘to be looked after’ by her husband and as such she should be compensated in the course of her divorce proceeding for the loss of her career and pension benefits. Her appeal however, has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal who ruled that “no one had twisted her arm” when she chose to give up full time work, which was a mutual decision of she and her husband. The couple shared the matrimonial home in Darley Dale, Derbyshire prior to their divorce. In November 2015 Mrs MacFarlane was awarded half the sale proceeds of the matrimonial home plus a £140,000 lump sum to sever her and her ex-husband’s financial ties.
At the Court of Appeal it was argued on behalf of Mrs MacFarlane it was wrong that she not be compensated for taking time off her career ladder and she, therefore, sought a settlement to provide her with a fund of £700,000 with which to purchase a home. Dismissing the appeal of Mrs MacFarlane, Mr Justice Moylan advised that the decision of Judge Rodgers at the first hearing of the case in 2015 had been correct in refusing Mrs MacFarlane’s claim and that it was not the case that “needs should be met at a level similar or comparable to the standard of living during the marriage”, this was only one of many factors and a guide, no more and no less, as to what an ex-wife or husband deserved.
