KLEARCHOS & KLEARCHOS

In *Klearchos & Klearchos*, Johnston J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application for spousal maintenance and legal costs. The proceedings involved a husband and wife, with the wife seeking financial support from the husband and an order for the husband to contribute to her legal fees.

The court was required to determine the appropriate quantum of spousal maintenance to be paid by the husband to the wife, and to consider whether an order for the husband to contribute to the wife's legal costs was warranted under section 117(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). The court also needed to specify the method and destination of any such legal cost payments.

Johnston J ordered the husband to pay the wife spousal maintenance of $10,000 per month, commencing from 1 January 2014. Furthermore, pursuant to section 117(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), the husband was ordered to pay to the wife's solicitors' trust account, on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the other respondents, such sums as were collectively paid by the husband and the second, third, and fourth respondents for legal fees. These payments were to be made monthly and were to be used solely for the wife's anticipated legal costs and outlays in the proceedings, with the court to take these payments into account in the substantive proceedings.