Court Cases & Orders

Wife Rejects Husband’s Billion Dollar Settlement Cheque

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Wife Rejects Husband’s Billion Dollar Settlement Cheque

We recently came across Jeff Lander’s article A Multi-Billion Dollar Divorce: What All Divorcing Women Can Learn From Sue Ann Hamm published in Forbes. Jeff provides insight into the lessons that can be learned from the divorce of Sue Ann Hamm from her estranged husband, Oklahoma oilman Harold Hamm in what he refers to as “teachable moments.”

Unlike the Ontario Family Law Act which provides for equalization of matrimonial property and assets, this case focuses on the principle of “equitable distribution” which includes factors such as “active and passive appreciation”. The Canadian approach to these concepts can be loosely found in cases involving constructive and resulting trust claims.

The Hamm divorce also raises important questions and issues regarding the parties’ date of separation (DOS). Similarly, Ontario’s Family Law Act utilizes the DOS as an important factor in calculating equalization and how married couples are to share their property when they divorce.

Not surprising, the Hamm case continues to make headlines as Sue Arnal, the wife’s lawyer, recently refused the oil baron husband’s cheque for $974,790,317.77.

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About the author

Russell Alexander

Russell Alexander is the Founder & Senior Partner of Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers.