
The judgment rejected the idea that transferring assets into a spouse’s name automatically makes them matrimonial. Instead, the source of the wealth is key.
The court also outlined how non-matrimonial assets might become matrimonial over time if treated as shared. In this case, the £80m transferred by Mr Standish to his wife for tax planning was not deemed shared, as there was no evidence of joint treatment.
The ruling reduces Mrs Standish’s award from £45m to £25m and sets a precedent with wide implications for family law and wealth planning. The case now returns to the High Court to assess whether £25m meets Mrs Standish’s needs.