Divorce Denied! How to Really Tick Off a Judge

A Boca Raton couple left divorce court recently with the most unanticipated result — the judge denied their petition to divorce. In a bold move circuit court judge Edward Garrison wrote a scathing judgment denying the petition for dissolution of marriage of Boca Raton residents Linda and Jacob Shai.

Over the course of the two-day court proceedings, both petitioners gave testimony regarding a long-standing pattern of criminal behavior in which the couple evaded income taxes, laundered large sums of cash through their in-laws and stashed untraceable, undeclared income from their business in a safe in the family home.

While the couple and their business partners did testify that the marriage was irretrievably broken — the no-fault grounds the state of Florida provides for most divorce cases — Judge Garrison stated that he saw no evidence of this. He noted that he observed the banter, body language and general communication between the partners — who were both represented by counsel — and concluded that there was no evidence to support the claim.

The judge expressed his outrage that the couple would take up the time and resources of the circuit court with this case. His conclusion was that the marriage did not meet the requirement for dissolution and that the court’s ruling was that the couple must remain married:

“This court is unable to impose the appropriate remedy for the parties since this is not a criminal court, but, if the appropriate agencies do not read this transcript, or if the indictments are slow in coming, perhaps the parties may remain out of jail long enough to raise their fifteen year old daughter to the age of majority. For now, the only appropriate remedy is for them to remain married to each other.”

Judge Garrison used the word chutzpah to characterize the couple’s behavior in court, and expressed suspicion that Mrs. Shai had filed for divorce because she had become dissatisfied with her share of the stolen, laundered and illegally acquired cash.

If you enter divorce proceedings and desire to be divorced at the end, be prepared to disclose all of your assets, be respectful of the judge and the court and do not appear under false pretenses — at least not when Judge Garrison is presiding.

A Boca Raton divorce attorney is available to help you navigate the divorce process in the most peaceful manner possible.