Attorney Todd Dwire speaking with staff member in conference room

We See The Big Picture In Family Law

Son of Minnesota Vikings owner in high-asset divorce

On Behalf of | Sep 25, 2014 | Firm News |

The son of a co-owner of the Minnesota Vikings football team is currently employing a rare strategy in his high asset divorce proceedings currently underway in New Jersey. The 47-year-old man claims that a woman he has lived with for roughly 20 years is not legally his wife because of a snafu during a religious ceremony.

Earlier this year in June, a 52-year-old woman filed for divorce from the man in New Jersey Superior Court shortly after an altercation at their home in which police found her near the point of unconsciousness at the foot of a stairwell. Police arrested the husband for third-degree aggravated assault, which resulted in his subsequent participation in a pretrial diversion program.

The alleged husband maintains that he is not married and the divorce petition should be dismissed because the pair did not satisfy New Jersey’s statutory marriage requirements. The man admits participating in a Jewish wedding ceremony with the woman in December 1993, but claims that the ceremony was conducted 16 days prior to the granting of the couple’s marriage license. According to New Jersey law, couples must first obtain a marriage license prior to any wedding ceremony.

The woman claims that the husband is simply attempting to deny her a proper divorce settlement that she believes may be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The couple currently has three children together and according to the woman, has also purchased homes, filed joint tax returns and engaged in other normal married activities.

The alleged husband currently works for his family’s business handling their legal affairs. His reported income to the Internal Revenue Service last year was valued at $6.6 million. His father owns a portion of the National Football League’s Minnesota Vikings and was once listed on Forbes’ top 400 richest Americans list.

If you are a Minnesota resident currently considering a high asset divorce, then you should know that proper planning before a divorce can protect you and your children’s future. In most cases, gathering important documents regarding assets, property and debts prior to filing your divorce petition can prevent many costly legal battles down the road.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, “Son of Minnesota Vikings Part-Owner Says He Wasn’t Legally Married to His Wife” Yoni Bashsn and Heather Haddon, Sep. 18, 2014

Archives

RSS Feed