The applicant, Joanne Romanelli, sought interim fees and disbursements of $100,000 from the respondent, Mario Romanelli, in a family law dispute involving spousal support and property division claims.
The respondent disputed the length of cohabitation and the merits of the property claims, arguing that most assets were inherited.
The court found both spousal support and property claims prima facie meritorious, noting the significant economic disparity between the parties and the complexity of the respondent's financial affairs.
The court awarded $60,000 in interim fees and disbursements to the applicant, emphasizing the need to level the playing field, but reduced the requested amount due to insufficient breakdown of past costs and uncertainties in valuation estimates.
