Court Orders Home Accessibility Renovations for Disabled Husband Despite Wife's Objections in Divorce Dispute
The Family Court in Nof HaGalil recently approved a disabled husband's request to modify the shared home to accommodate his severe medical conditions, including heart disease and Parkinson's. The husband, who suffered a major stroke in 2025 leaving him fully disabled and bedridden, requires accessibility adaptations and continuous care. The house, registered in his name, is currently shared with his estranged wife, who opposes the renovations citing discomfort and her property rights, which she claims were granted by her former in-laws.
The husband argued that due to her refusal to vacate the ground floor where the adaptations and care will take place, he has been forced to live temporarily in a small, unsuitable apartment of his daughter from a previous marriage. He claimed this situation harms his health, property rights, and dignity. Judge Itay Carmi ruled that the husband's right to use his property to ensure a dignified life under his medical circumstances outweighs the wife's temporary inconvenience during the renovation and ongoing shared living arrangement.
The court emphasized that the accessibility modifications, including opening passages, installing ramps, and preparing a room for a caregiver, constitute reasonable and essential use of the property. The wife must temporarily vacate the ground floor for up to 70 days while the husband finances the renovations. To minimize disruption, the court ordered the work to be completed efficiently, imposing a daily fine of 300 shekels on the husband for any delay. After renovations, the husband may return home only with a caregiver present, and his daughters are not permitted to stay overnight.
This ruling balances the husband's urgent medical needs and property rights with the wife's claims amid their ongoing divorce proceedings, where her ownership claim may ultimately entitle her to only half the property. The case highlights legal considerations in accommodating disabled individuals within shared homes during marital separations.
