The Top Ten Strangest Divorce Settlements | IL

 Posted on September 06, 2024 in Division of Property

While one spouse often believes he or she got the worst end of the divorce settlement, in most cases, assets are divided either under state community property laws or equitable distribution laws. Illinois operates under equitable distribution laws, which dictate that marital assets are divided fairly, which may or may not mean equally. So what circumstances could cause what seems to be a totally bizarre divorce settlement?

Strange or disparate divorce settlements are sometimes the result of a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. Others are the result of one spouse hiding marital assets. There are specific factors in place used by Illinois family court judges when determining divorce settlements, but if you feel as though you may get the short end of the settlement, speak to an experienced Oswego, IL divorce attorney from The Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C. who will aggressively defend your rights while looking out for your future.  

What Are Some of the Strangest Divorce Settlements?

While many of the oddest divorce settlements involve celebrities, some of them come from divorces between "regular" couples. Some examples of eccentric divorce settlements include:

1.  When Jennifer Lopez divorced her husband Marc Antony, she was required to agree that she would not disparage Antony’s other ex-wife.

2. A family court judge ordered one couple to remain in their current apartment after the divorce, splitting the apartment in half so each could maintain his or her privacy.

3. Robert Lucas, the 1995 winner of the Nobel Economics Prize, had to fork over half the cash to his ex-wife who, during their 1988 divorce, insisted in a clause that she would receive half the funds from any future Nobel win.

4. Actor and comedian Peter Sellers was in the process of divorcing his fourth wife when he died of a sudden heart attack. Because he had not amended his will to reflect the divorce, his wife received $7.3 million and the rights to all his work, while his children received $1,213 each. 

5. A woman was given ownership of her husband’s family farm during their divorce. As the new owner, she demanded that her ex dig up his parents, who were buried on the farm, and bury them somewhere else.

6. A couple who had been married for 18 years decided to divorce after the husband found that his wife had been unfaithful. The husband took the 50/50 split to a new level when he and his family members cut the couple’s home in half; he tore down his half.  

7. A doctor in Long Island requested the kidney he had given his unfaithful wife be returned to him – a request the divorce court did not honor. 

8. A husband complained to the judge that he was divorcing his wife because she spent too much money on ice cream. The judge obviously disagreed; he ordered the husband to pay his ex-wife extra money every month to cover her love of ice cream.

9. A husband who paid for his wife to have breast implants demanded during their divorce that she remove the implants, and they would each keep one since he considered them marital assets. The judge did not agree. 

10. A man whose wife had adopted 550 cats filed for divorce, claiming the cats had taken over the marital home and that a significant portion of his income was going toward feeding the cats and providing veterinarian services. He wanted none of the cats in the divorce settlement. 

Contact a Kendall County, IL Divorce Attorney

If you are concerned about whether your divorce settlement will be fair and will accurately reflect your contributions to the marriage, you need a skilled Yorkville, IL divorce attorney from The Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C.. With more than 15 years of experience in family law issues, attorney Matthew M. Williams is trained in collaborative and cooperative divorce laws. Contact The Law Office of Matthew M. Williams, P.C. at 630-409-8184 to schedule an appointment to discuss your specific issue.