What factors will a judge consider when deciding whether to split a husband's non-exempt property equally?

Alberta, Canada


The following excerpt is from B.K. v. F.K., 1989 ABCA 247 (CanLII):

The Matrimonial Property Act tells a judge which factors to consider, and it tells him to split the non-exempt property equally unless doing so would be unjust or inequitable. That does not mean that he is to split it equally only when the financial contributions are equal: Elsom v. Elsom (1989) 1989 CanLII 100 (SCC), 59 D.L.R. (4th) 591, 598 (S.C.C.). The split and the financial contributions need not be the same.

The appellant did not suggest that the trial judge misunderstood any of the evidence bearing on this issue, or that he overlooked any relevant factor. Clearly he did not. Rather the appellant asks that we substitute for the weight which the trial judge gave, a different weight. For example, he suggests that a more just division of his property would be something like (say) 60:40 and that her property should also be divided unequally. Applied to the whole, that would produce a split even closer to 50:50, and we cannot make such a comparatively small change unless there was a clear factual or legal error leading to it. We cannot say that the assessment we would have arrived at independently is greatly different. Nor can we merely substitute our assessment of weight for the trial judge's assessment: Elsom v. Elsom, supra, at 597-8. Therefore, we do not accept this first ground of appeal.

Other Questions


What is the test for a judge to determine whether or not to divide a husband and wife's assets equally? (Alberta, Canada)
What is the test for equal protection and equal benefit under s.15(1) of the Charter of Canada's equal protection legislation? (Alberta, Canada)
What factors will be considered in determining whether or not a child has been found safe and well in custody? (Alberta, Canada)
What are the relevant considerations to a judge when deciding whether or not to order trial by jury in a personal injury case? (Alberta, Canada)
How has the Supreme Court of Canada considered “equality before the law” in the context of equal rights legislation? (Alberta, Canada)
What are the circumstances in which execution/enforcement creditors obtained interest in the property of one spouse's property after the other spouse commenced an action for division of matrimonial property? (Alberta, Canada)
What considerations should be considered when deciding whether to grant severance to a party who has a claim against them? (Alberta, Canada)
What factors must the reviewing court consider in determining whether a decision is final or subject to appeal? (Alberta, Canada)
What factors have been considered in determining the value of matrimonial property in a common law relationship? (Alberta, Canada)
What factors are considered to be determinative in determining whether a medical malpractice case is successful or unsuccessful? (Alberta, Canada)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.