Court Rules on Marriage End Date, Affecting Asset Division

A family court judge in Israel has ruled that a couple's marriage effectively ended on March 4, 2025, the date the husband filed for divorce proceedings. This decision is crucial for dividing their assets, as under Israeli law, property acquired before this date is subject to division, while property acquired afterward belongs solely to the individual who obtained it.

The couple, married in 2006 and parents to four children, had been in a five-month dispute over the exact date of their separation. The wife had argued for an August 2, 2025, end date, citing continued marital counseling and even affectionate messages from her husband in May 2025. She claimed the marriage ended upon her return from Paris on February 28, 2025, stating her husband had been in complete "disconnection" from her since then.

However, the court found her arguments inconsistent. The judge noted that the wife herself had initiated divorce proceedings and claimed spousal support starting in March 2025, aligning with the husband's proposed date. Furthermore, in April 2025, the wife withdrew approximately 200,000 shekels from joint social benefits and transferred them to her mother without her husband's knowledge, an action the court interpreted as evidence that she believed the marriage was over.

Despite the husband continuing to pay household expenses, the court deemed this responsible behavior towards their children rather than a continuation of the marital partnership. The wife's shifting timelines for the marriage's end, initially suggesting March 2025, then February 2026, and finally August 2025, also contributed to the court's decision.

The next stage involves a court-appointed expert to assess the value of the couple's assets, including businesses and goodwill, as of the March 4, 2025, separation date. This valuation will determine the final division of property, with the husband, who was the sole breadwinner and owner of companies, having an interest in an earlier separation date to limit his financial obligations.