Bowler and Shulman

In the matter of *Bowler and Shulman*, heard by Judge Roberts, the dispute concerned the division of property and liabilities between a husband and wife. The court was tasked with determining how various assets and debts, including bank accounts, a debt owed by a company, interests in motor vehicles, and superannuation, should be allocated between the parties.

The court's reasoning focused on achieving a just and equitable distribution of the matrimonial property. This involved considering the existing entitlements and liabilities of each party. The orders reflect a division where the wife received the entirety of funds held in a specific trust account, along with sole responsibility for certain outstanding accounts and potential tax liabilities. Conversely, the husband was to receive the wife's interest in a significant debt owed by a company and any interest she held in motor vehicles in his possession.

The final orders stipulated that, apart from the specifically enumerated allocations, each party was to retain all other property in their possession. Furthermore, the wife's claims to the husband's superannuation were extinguished, and each party was to indemnify the other against any liabilities associated with the property they received. Any joint tenancies were expressly severed.