A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that Michael Mandelbaum, whose family owns a stake in the Minnesota Vikings franchise, claimed he was never officially married to his wife when she brought a divorce petition against him.
This allegation came after Mandelbaum and Debra – the woman who claimed the two were indeed married legally – lived together for 20 years as man and wife. The report stated they had a Jewish wedding ceremony, and even bought property and filed taxes together as husband and wife. However, Mandelbaum claimed that their divorce is not valid, since he and Debra did not obtain a marriage license before their ceremony, as New Jersey law dictates they must. Mandelbaum said that his and Debra’s wedding on December 5, 1995 occurred 16 days before their marriage license was approved. Debra asserted that his attempt to deny they were ever married is merely a way to keep her from money she would receive in divorce proceedings.
Divorce is usually complicated, especially if the separating couple disagrees on issues such as asset division, child custody, and alimony. Regardless of your issue, the divorce attorneys at the Law Office of Andrew A. Bestafka, Esq., in Monmouth County can offer experienced and committed legal representation throughout your divorce. Call our offices at (732) 898-2378 today to begin discussing your situation.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Manhattan district court judge’s 2011 decision that dismissed a lawsuit filed against a Wall Street multi-billionaire by his ex-wife.
The long running legal battle began in a 1990 divorce proceeding when Patricia Cohen accused then husband Steven A. Cohen of hiding his assets while formalizing a property division agreement. She claims he lied about losing his entire $9 million investment in co-op apartments.
The appeals court decision relied heavily on the evidence Patricia submitted regarding her discovery of a court file in 2008 revealing a $5.5 million dispute settlement paid to Cohen. Patricia’s 2009 fraud-based claims also involved allegations of Cohen’s 1985 $20 million insider trading profit from a tip given by fellow Wharton School graduates of the University of Pennsylvania.
Defense lawyers argued that Patricia was merely harassing Cohen and trying to gain media attention at the expense of her ex-husband.
Formalizing property division in divorce court proceedings can be tedious and complicated. To get the support and guidance you need, speak with the legal team at the Law Office of Andrew A. Bestafka, Esq., by calling (732) 898-2378 today.
