You’re getting divorced – but where should you get divorced? Ask a good lawyer

You’ve decided to get divorced. Now you need to decide where to get divorced. The court does not have to be in your home town or city; indeed, it may not have to be in your home country either.

An estranged wife who was born and grew up in Brazil, went to school in Switzerland and America, studied at university in Paris and worked in a gallery in New York has won the right to have her divorce case heard in London.

Elizabeth Vardinoyannis, who has parted from her Greek shipping tycoon husband Pyrros, chose London because English courts are known to be more “generous” than those of many other countries when it comes to awarding divorce settlements.

Mrs Vardinoyannis may have spent much of her life in other parts of the world, but she married her husband in London in 2003 and – though they spent much of their married life overseas – both now live in the capital, albeit separately.

Mr Vardinoyannis was in Switzerland and his wife was in London when she petitioned for divorce in this country.

His lawyers tried to prevent his estranged wife from pursuing the case in what is known as the “divorce capital of the world” – disputing her claim to have lived in London for the 12 months before she filed for divorce.

Earlier this year, the High Court ruled against Mr Vardinoyannis and the decision was upheld by the Appeal Court last week.

Rejecting the appeal, Lord Justice Thorpe said: “The requirement of European law does not stipulate for her presence, but only for her residence here.”

Closer to home, a petitioner can now opt to file for divorce in a different part of the country (there is anecdotal evidence that courts in the south are likely to be more generous towards wives than in the north).

Where you have your divorce case heard can affect the final outcome, which is why it’s vital to have a dedicated matrimonial lawyer on your side – from a firm such as Benussi & Co, which has a wealth of experience in dealing with complex cases, including those that straddle more than one jurisdiction.

If you want to get the best possible financial settlement, you need the best possible lawyer.