Lords rule in favour of women in two key divorce cases

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) Britain's highest court, the House of Lords, ruled in favour of the ex-wives in two multi-million pound divorces today in cases which could be used as a precedent for other big money settlements.

The five Law Lords dismissed an appeal by one millionaire who claimed his former wife was given too much by a divorce judge and at the same time allowed a second appeal by the wife of another millionaire who claimed she had not been given enough.

Observers have said the rulings could have an impact on any divorce between former Beatle Paul McCartney, who has an estimated 825 million pounds, and his wife Heather Mills who announced last week they were separating after four years.

In the first case, multi-millionaire fund manager Alan Miller lost a challenge to an order that he should give five million pounds to his former wife after just two years and nine months of marriage.

The couple had no children during the marriage but in the initial ruling, a judge decided Mrs Miller was entitled to a substantial settlement because she married with expectation of a future wealthy lifestyle.

Alan Miller appealed against this but his challenge was dismissed.

In the second case, Julia McFarlane won a challenge to the ruling that her former husband would only have to pay her 250,000 pound annual maintenance for a limited period of time. She claimed she should receive maintenance for life and this was accepted by the law lords.

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