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Why can’t people get politely and peacefully divorced anymore?
A long-running messy divorce has led to a woman hanging out in the clink because she’s stashed her money in an offshore account and the trustee of that account won’t pay the court any money (although he gives the lady cash to take fancy trips and buy new cars):
The convoluted case began before the couple divorced in 2001. Fearing his wife would flee with their son and daughter, Leland Morris asked Fisher to craft a fail-safe for him. In exchange for allowing him to be primary custodian for the children, he agreed to give her a $1.5 million bonus on top of the divorce settlement.
But there was a catch: If she contested any part of the postnuptial agreement, she would have to repay the bonus.
Two years later, she accused Leland of violating the agreement and asked that it be modified to accommodate her lifestyle.
Circuit Judge Jeffrey Colbath ruled that her complaints constituted a challenge of the agreement. He ordered her to repay the $1.5 million and cover the $300,000 her ex-husband had accumulated in attorney fees.
When she refused to pay, Colbath held her in contempt.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to collect the money, Fisher filed a lawsuit to force her to sell her home to pay part of the money. After the suit was filed, Fisher said she borrowed about $450,000 against the house.
Circuit Judge Jonathan Gerber ordered her to return the money. When she didn’t, he held her in criminal contempt. When she refused to appear in court to explain why she was disobeying his order, he slapped her with two additional criminal contempt charges and issued warrants for her arrest.
She avoided arrest by going underground, refusing to divulge where she was living. Then, in a surprise move in January, she appeared at the county jail, saying she wanted to turn herself in.
“She didn’t want her kids to feel she had abandoned them,” Wasserman said.
Gerber sentenced her to 120 days in jail for not obeying his order to return the money she borrowed against the house. In April, he is to consider what punishment, if any, she will receive for not appearing in court.
Circuit Judge Amy Smith, who inherited the divorce case from Colbath, is to decide what punishment Morris will receive for not repaying the $1.8 million.
Until she pays, it is likely she will remain in jail.
