Illinois fans of filmmaker Michael Moore may have heard that he and his wife of 23 years are divorcing. Moore’s wife also produced some of his documentaries, and the two will be going to court to settle the division of assets.
His wife’s use of their money to build a mansion on a lake in northern Michigan is one issue that will be addressed in court. Moore has assembled a number of witnesses for the case. They include his motion picture and literary agents, who are expected to testify that his wife’s building of the mansion was damaging to his reputation and future career prospects. At the time, Moore received some critical press due to the expense of the house. Moore and his wife also own eight properties in New York and Michigan, and those properties will need to be divided as well.
Property issues can add another contentious layer to divorce. In any divorce, one aspect of dividing marital property will depend on the laws in the state where the proceedings are taking place. As is the case in Illinois, Michigan courts follow the principle of equitable distribution in determining property division in the absence of an agreement between the parties. Dividing the wealth from films they worked on together may be particularly challenging.
Individuals who are divorcing may wish to consult an attorney about division of marital property. Many people forget that this may include debts as well as assets. It is important that neither party in a divorce shoulders a disproportionate amount of the debt. Divorcing couples may come to an agreement about property through negotiation by their respective attorneys in order to avoid protracted litigation.
Source: FOX News, “Director Michael Moore enmeshed in vicious divorce“, June 08, 2014
