Wicklow & Wicklow

In the matter of *Wicklow & Wicklow*, the husband was ordered to pay interim costs to the wife's solicitors. The dispute concerned the payment of these costs, with specific provisions made for the sale of a luxury motor vehicle by auction should the husband fail to comply with the initial payment order. The court also reserved the costs of the day for the trial judge.

The central legal issue before the court was the enforcement of interim costs orders in family law proceedings, particularly the mechanism for securing such payments. The court was required to determine the appropriate steps to ensure compliance with its orders for interim legal costs, including the potential for the sale of assets to satisfy these obligations.

The court reasoned that a clear and enforceable order was necessary to ensure the wife's solicitors received the interim costs awarded. By stipulating the sale of a specific asset, the luxury motor vehicle, through a reputable auction house, the court provided a direct and practical means of satisfying the debt if the husband defaulted on his primary payment obligation. The proceeds of the sale were to be applied first to the wife's interim costs and then to the husband's interim costs, with all payments to be considered by the trial judge at the final hearing. The court ultimately made orders in accordance with the draft minute of order presented, including the payment of $100,000 in interim costs and the contingent sale of the motor vehicle.