Zen and Jir

In the matter of *Zen and Jir*, heard before Justice Cronin, the wife sought urgent interlocutory relief concerning marital assets held by the husband. The dispute centred on the husband's alleged dissipation of assets and the wife's need to secure her claim in anticipated family law proceedings.

The primary legal issues before the Court were whether to grant an injunction restraining third parties from releasing funds held in the husband's name, and whether to order those third parties to provide statements of account for such holdings. The Court was required to consider the principles governing the grant of interlocutory injunctions, particularly in the context of family law proceedings and the potential for asset dissipation.

Justice Cronin reasoned that the wife had established a sufficient prima facie case to warrant the grant of injunctive relief. The Court applied the principles established in cases concerning the preservation of marital assets, noting the importance of preventing a party from frustrating the other's legitimate claims. The evidence presented indicated a real risk of dissipation, justifying the intervention of the Court to preserve the status quo pending final determination.

Accordingly, the Court ordered that the wife's application be adjourned to a later date. Crucially, until further order, Citigroup Pty Limited, Tabcorp Holdings Limited, and Consolidated Media Holdings Limited were restrained from releasing or permitting the husband to withdraw or transfer any funds held in his name by them. Furthermore, these respondents were ordered to forthwith provide the wife's lawyers with statements of account for all accounts held in the husband's name.