British court orders businessman to pay wife alimony until he gives her a ‘get’

JTA — A British businessman must continue to pay his wife alimony payments until he gives her a religious divorce, or get, a British appeals court ruled.

Alan Moher of Manchester was ordered last year by a High Court judge to pay his wife alimony as well as about $1.7 million in a lump sum by the completion of their civil divorce in May 2018, and then pay interest on any outstanding sum of the lump payment and an additional yearly payment until he gave her the get.

Moher challenged the ruling in the Court of Appeal saying that the judge did not take his financial situation into account, and that the payments amount to coercion, which is not allowed under Jewish law since the get must be freely given, the London-based Jewish Chronicle reported.

The Appeals Court judge responded late last week that the financial order was not compulsion and did not prevent the husband from giving a get. He said that the court has the jurisdiction to order such payments. He cited the country’s 2002 Divorce Act under which a husband can be prevented from obtaining a civil divorce until he provides a religious divorce.

The couple have three children and separated in 2016 after 20 years of marriage.