Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Addressing the Dissipation of Marital Assets in a Divorce Case

BY Lynne Strober
November 02, 2015

The typical allegations of dissipation in a divorce include spending, sending or funneling marital monies to a spouse's extended family or friends, gambling debts, bad business decisions, and spending money on extramarital affairs. The critical question in these situations is, at what point does one spouse's gifts to family or'friends, or their bad investments and/or extravagant spending, become considered dissipation in the eyes of an adversary looking to review a case or the judiciary, and what remedies are available to a spouse where a dissipation has been found to have occurred?

In the state of New Jersey, for example, N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23.1 (i) requires the court, in making an equitable distribution of marital property, to consider the “contribution of each party to the acquisition, dissipation, preservation, depreciation or appreciation in the amount or value of the marital property.” (Emphasis added.) It is not uncommon for one spouse to hide and/or spend down marital assets in the anticipation of divorce. A matrimonial law practitioner is all too familiar with the term “divorce planning,” and the dissipation of a marital asset is often a key strategy employed for that purpose. The New Jersey Legislature did not define “dissipation” of marital property; however, case law gives courts and practitioners a definition and framework for review of dissipation claims.

NJ Case Law

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models Image

Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.

Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge Image

As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.

Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator Image

How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.

Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising Image

The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.

Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality Image

This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.