Dovgan and Dovgan & Anor

In the matter of *Dovgan and Dovgan & Anor*, Harper J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the wife for litigation funding and disclosure from the Second to Third Respondents, as well as leave to appoint adversarial experts concerning real property and companies associated with the husband. On the day of the interim hearing, the wife withdrew most of her claims, and the husband agreed to pay her $600,000 in partial property settlement.

The primary legal issue before the court was the resolution of the wife's claims for litigation funding and disclosure, and the husband's agreement to a lump sum payment. The court also had to determine the disposition of the remaining relief sought by the wife concerning the Second, Third, and Fourth Respondents, and the allocation of costs.

Harper J ordered the husband to pay the wife $600,000 by 31 July 2020 as partial property settlement. The wife's application filed on 6 July 2020 and the husband's amended application filed on 2 July 2020 were otherwise dismissed, along with the responses of the other parties. The court extended the time for filing evidence for both parties and directed the wife to file an amended initiating application within seven days to precisely identify and articulate the relief she sought against the Second, Third, and Fourth Respondents. The costs of the applications were reserved, noting that the wife had primarily sought litigation funding at the hearing.