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Landmark Ruling: Ex-Husband Ordered to Pay $1 Million in Custody and Support Dispute

By | - June 1, 2023

Steve Benmor is a recognized divorce lawyer, family mediator, arbitrator, speaker, writer and educator. Mr. Benmor has worked as lead counsel in many divorce trials, held many leadership positions in the legal community and has been regularly interviewed on television, radio and in newspapers as an expert in Family Law.

An eight-year-long ordeal for our client, Ms. Lakhtakia, recently culminated in a 12-day trial and a landmark decision with far-reaching impacts as relates to costs orders, financial disclosure and family violence. In an unprecendented decision, Justice Pinto awarded our client, the wife, near $1M in costs and ordered indefinite supervised access for the husband, Mr. Mehra.

This outcome arrives after seven years of motions, conferences and delays, primarily caused by the husband’s non-disclosure of financial assets sourcing to more than 25 businesses in Africa, Dubai, India, Singapore and other countries around the world.

Highlights include:

  • The husband’s CBV resigned from his appointment on the eve of the trial after learning he had not received full financial disclosure from his client.
  • Two last minute motions to adjourn the trial failed due to the husband’s non-cooperation with financial disclosure orders.
  • The wife used proceedings in multiple other jurisdictions to obtain financial disclosure regarding the husband’s companies.
  • The husband’s violence, threats to kidnap their daughter, residence in a non-Hague signatory country and patterns of lying, falsifying information and breaching court orders culminated in an unusual order for indefinite supervision of his access with the child.
  • Child support was ordered at $20,000 monthly and spousal support at $20,000 monthly.

Full text of the Costs Order: Lakhtakia v. Mehra, 2023 ONSC 539 

Full text of the Appeal decision: Lakhtakia v. Mehra, 2023 ONCA 88

Our team at Benmor Family Law Group will forever be grateful to Ms. Lakhtakia for the opportunity to represent her and ultimately achieve a just outcome for her and her daughter.

At Benmor Family Law Group, our multi-disciplinary team of divorce experts fully understands the emotional and financial impact of divorce. We will help you through separation, divorce, mediation, divorce coaching, and parent coordination, our full-service family law firm expertly supports you, guides you, and represents you – throughout your case.

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