A High Net Worth Divorce & Family Trust Saga (Coming Soon)

Sinels were involved, on behalf of the wife, in long running ancillary relief proceedings (the “Family Proceedings”). The Family Proceedings began after the husband filed his petition for divorce in Jersey in 2017 and ran until settlement in 2023.

Some of the posts featured on our LinkedIn over the next few weeks will be a trawl through those proceedings and some of the aspects involved. It may be of particular use to family and trust practitioners, or those with an interest in trusts generally and how the Family Court may approach the issue of trusts in the context of financial claims within a divorce.

Further, it may be of interest to those who use, or wish to use, asset protection trusts (“APTs”); by which we mean a trust used as a vehicle to hold a person’s assets for the purpose of shielding them from creditors or potential creditors. This could include a spouse, and claims relating to divorce and ancillary relief.

Accordingly, the information shared and the example below will be of interest to any spouse whose husband, or wife, uses APTs.

We have split the matter up into 8 easily digestible parts:

1. An introduction to the case;
2. Key directions;
3. Intervenors within the Family Proceedings;
4. The trustee’s perverse decision not to add the wife as named beneficiary;
5. Trustee directions hearings dealing with issues of resignations and a private trust company;
6. Beneficiary entitlement to costs from the Trust;
7. Private FDR; and
8. The Court’s ability to sit as one Court exercising jurisdictions of multi divisions of the Royal Court.

Keep an eye out for an introduction to the case coming soon!