THE DENNISTOUN CASE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 March 1925, Page 5

THE DENNISTOUN CASE.

FRENCH PROCEDURE

IN DIVORCE ACTIONS

BY CABLE -PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, March 13. In the Dennist-oun case, a French barrister gave evidence regarding the validity of the Dennistouns’ divorce, also whether the parties were able to make a binding agreement relating to alimony on the payment of a lump sum without reference Jo the court.

The witness astounded the court by ■ declaring that sometimes 72 judges eat |in the French Court of Appeal, whose I judgment was confined to the fact of a particular ease and did not become a precedent and binding in the lower courts, which frequently did not follow the decisions of the * higher . court. There was no finality in French law and no French legal phrase eqdivalent to collusive divorce, but collusion was contrary to public order. If collusion was subsequently proved the divorce would stand, but the judge would not uphold the agreement to pay alimony. If a wife had good grounds for a divorce she was not compelled to disclose her own misconduct to the cotrt. France avoided publicity in connection with divorces, and the names of women co-respondents were seldom disclosed in courts and the newspapers w'ere not allowed to report the case.—Sydney Sun Gable.