A husband brought a proceeding to set aside a post nuptial agreement before Justice Jeffrey Goodstein in a Supreme Court divorce part in Nassau County, New York. He claimed the agreement should be set aside because he was fraudulently induced to execute it. He also argued he signed the agreement under duress and the terms of the agreement were unconscionable. He alleged in his moving papers that at the date the agreement was executed he was suffering from depression. In addition, his wife exerted duress upon him which caused him to sign this one-sided document. He also argued the terms of the agreement were overreaching and unconscionable. His moving papers alleged that he received only 12.3% of the marital assets. The wife who had an annual income of $2 million received 87.7% of all marital assets. He claimed this was so unfair that the agreement should be considered unconscionable and therefore set aside.
Duress Not Proven
Judge Goodstein found the husband’s claims of duress were not proven. He failed to submit substantial evidence to show his mental state was weakened to the point that he did not have free will to avoid executing the agreement. Judge Goodstein therefore denied setting aside the post nuptial agreement based on the husband’s duress claim.
Agreement Set Aside Anyway
However, Judge Goodstein found the wife out earned the husband as a practicing physician. He found she retained her medical practice and was not providing the husband with spousal maintenance. He set aside the agreement because the financial terms were so one-sided. Judge Goodstein rendered a decision regarding the agreement setting aside all of its financial terms.
