Writing a $974,790,317.77 check and moving on in divorce

Sometimes keeping things in perspective is half of the battle.

Recently, a couple from the midwest (Harold and Sue Ann) were going through a divorce. Harold is a billionaire, but his fortune is largely tied to the price of oil. Jonathan C. Noble, Esq.The price of oil can and does fluctuate . Therefore the value of their marital assets can and do fluctuate.

 

The court valued Harold and Sue Ann’s marital estate at a little over two billion dollars. The Oklahoma divorce court awarded Sue Ann almost half. In an effort to end the divorce proceedings, Harold decided to write a check to Sue Ann for $974,790,317.77. You may have already seen a copy of the widely publicized check.

Here is a link from Reuters with the story and an image of Harold’s handwritten check to Sue Ann:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/09/us-hamm-divorce-wife-idUSKBN0KH2BK20150109

Sue Ann allegedly vowed to appeal the award, claiming Harold’s company was worth much more. A few days later, she cashed the check, pretty much ending her rights on appeal regarding the valuation and distribution of marital assets.

Why is this story important? 

This story is important because this couple could have spent more money on lawyers fighting over millions (or billions) of dollars, with absolutely no guarantee of a positive outcome for either party. I imagine Harold is a very smart guy. Instead of fighting for an indeterminate amount of time with no guarantee that either party would achieve a better outcome, he simply wrote a check that “got the deal done”.  Harold simply wrote a check to Sue Ann for $974,790,317.77. She deposited the check a few days later. Here below is a link to the story from CBS news:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/harold-hamms-ex-wife-cashes-billion-dollar-divorce-check/

Harold appeared on CNBC soon after Sue Ann cashed the check. Here is the link to his very short interview:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102462914

Notice Harold’s mindset. During the CNBC interview, he said his divorce is “in the rearview mirror, movin’ on”.

While the case may still be pending on appeal, many legal analysts believe that Sue Ann faces an uphill battle to overturn the award on appeal.

For some going through divorce, the story of Harold and Sue Ann should act as a reminder that setting smart goals (i.e. putting the divorce in the rearview and movin’ on) is often an important part of a good overall strategy.