What is the test for an unconscionable marriage settlement?

Canada (Federal), Canada

The following excerpt is from Rick v. Brandsema, [2009] 1 SCR 295, 2009 SCC 10 (CanLII):

After a long and difficult marriage, the parties in this case negotiated and signed a separation agreement. Based on the test outlined by this Court in Miglin v. Miglin, 2003 SCC 24 (CanLII), [2003] 1 S.C.R. 303, the trial judge determined that the agreement was unconscionable because the negotiation process was severely flawed and the resulting settlement deviated substantially from the objectives of the governing legislation. He found that the wife was mentally unstable at the time the agreement was negotiated and executed, and that the husband took advantage of this “very significant” vulnerability by agreeing to a bargain he knew was based on misleading financial information, due in part to his own deliberate non-disclosure.

Other Questions


If an injunction has been issued against ARS in a class action settlement, what effect will the settlement have on ARS' collection practices? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
What is the difference between property acquired prior to marriage and property acquired during the marriage? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
How have the courts interpreted the meaning of an injunction in a settlement where the parties entered into a settlement to resolve a civil action? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
Does a state regulation relating to the incidents of or prerequisites for marriage need to be reviewed in the context of marriage law? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
In assessing the fairness of a settlement in a class action, does the court have to consider the views of the named plaintiffs in the settlement? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
When a class action settlement includes attorneys' fees, is the award reviewed in the context of the settlement? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
Is a common law marriage valid in a state that does not recognize common law marriages? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
What is the effect of a settlement agreement when the parties entered into a settlement to resolve a civil action? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
When a settlement agreement disposes of a federal Title VII claim, can a breach of the settlement agreement revive the claim? (MultiRegion, United States of America)
What is the test for establishing that a marriage is not a statutory marriage? ("New York", United States of America)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.