A divorce lawyer has revealed some of the weirdest arguments she’s ever witnessed – with clients fighting over everything from individual batteries to who gets the expensive horse sperm.
Holly J Moore has been practising law for over 16 years – having aided over 2,000 separations – and in this time has witnessed some truly bizarre things.
The 43-year-old also does prenups, as well as custody cases and has a wide roster of clients – from your ‘average Joe’ to NFL stars and even a client who was in the FBI witness protection programme.
Holly also frequently shares advice and tidbits from her career online, entertaining and educating over 209,000 followers on Instagram (@hollyjmoore).
Dishing the dirt, she shares just how messy prenups and divorces can really be.
“I have had some really interesting cases – certainly some that were eye-opening,” Holly, from Southern California, US, told Jam Prime.
“I had one prenup where the most significant asset was horse sperm for breeding.
“They had a really expensive horse and they wanted to protect that horse’s semen.
“That was definitely a first for me, but I thought it was interesting.
“Everything has its own little world, so I wasn’t familiar with the world of horse racing – it was fascinating.
“In another case, I was representing the husband [in a divorce] – we were going through the spreadsheet of everything that was staying in the house and attaching value, such as the couch, two grand dining sets, etc.
“The wife asked ‘What about all the batteries’.
“She wanted to know about the batteries in the TV remote and the wall clock, things like that.
“That was a bit bizarre.
“I’ve represented someone in the witness protection programme too, where the FBI handled everything – that was very fascinating.
“And I have worked with professional athletes and NFL stars who get paid per touchdown.
“I just had a prenup where someone had hundreds of thousands of sea coral he wanted to protect.
“He was also a professional pinball machine player, which I didn’t know existed.
“I get exposed to new things [frequently] and have to learn at least a little about it so I can represent them properly.”
The graduate of Western State University in Orange County charges a pretty penny for her work – with an hourly rate of £470 ($600).
Sharing some tips for free, she busts a common myth about divorces.
She said: “A lot of people think that things are split 50/50 but this is a huge misconception.
“[As an example], California is a community property state – this means things acquired during the marriage are split equally, but not things obtained before – there are so many complex nuances with credits, reimbursements and loopholes.
“People also think that if they leave the house they are abandoning their rights to it, but that’s simply not true.”
For those looking to tie the knot, the lawyer also urges that you always get a prenup drafted – even if you don’t sign it.
While she does not recommend it, she says it serves as a way to facilitate all the tough conversations that should be had before marriage.
She said: “People put so much emphasis on the wedding that the actual marriage falls by the wayside and that’s a huge mistake.
“Nothing good comes easy and every relationship will have highs and lows.
“I’m an old soul but I think everyone gives up too easily – quitting your job, divorcing your spouse etc.”
Holly herself has been married for 20 years to her husband, Jeff, 46.
She believes the key to a happy union is sharing core values.
The lawyer added: “The key to a happy marriage really starts with marrying the right person.
“There are a lot of times when people are divorcing and they are talking about things wrong with the relationship and their partner, that they knew before they got married.
“Similar core values are hugely important.
“A lot of marital discord revolves around a difference in world view, different opinions on raising kids, even a difference in work ethics.
“Every divorce comes down to one thing, the other person isn’t getting their core human needs met.
“We all have four specific human needs: to feel special, to experience variety both in emotions and our practical lives, to have the stability of basic needs like food, clothing and shelter, and to be loved and cared for.
“If I looked at all the divorces, one or both people were lacking one or more of those basic needs.
“It manifests in so many different ways such as infidelity, addiction, abuse, but these are symptoms of an underlying problem.”
