Multi-million divorce case rages on

A former Queenstown couple involved in one of New Zealand’s biggest known divorce settlements is still fighting it out in court.

Stephen (Tim) and Sophie Biggs have been living in Australia since their separation, with the pair disputing a claimed $59 million in relationship property.

Last month Stuff revealed details of the case, with Sophie Biggs saying ‘‘I have faith in the New Zealand Courts to deal with this David and Goliath situation and deliver a fair decision’’.

The Court of Appeal, in a judgment released yesterday, declined an application by her counsel to review an earlier High Court decision.

That included an order for further discovery against Stephen Biggs, that he should receive an interim payment of $1.5m from the sale of their Queenstown property, and that he should have made an interim distribution of $400,000 to his former wife.

The Court of Appeal also declined Sophie Biggs’ appeal for her former husband to pay her legal fees, and the cost of a forensic accountant.

Tim Biggs is involved with several companies, including Laguna Bay Pastoral business, which owns and manages large farms in Australia on behalf of domestic and overseas investors.

The couple’s disputed assets included their Wakatipu lakeside home, on the market for $8,595,000, chattels at another home in Noosa, Queensland, a $30,000 silver Audi Quattro and a million dollar superannuation fund.

Other properties on Queensland’s Stradbroke Island and in Recoleta, Argentina, are acknowledged to be beyond the reach of New Zealand property laws.

The latest decision also noted Sophie Biggs’ counsel would no longer be proceeding against two other parties – namely trusts connected with her former husband.

Sophie Biggs also applied for security to be reduced on the basis she would no longer be proceeding against the two other parties.

But Tim Biggs’ counsel opposed that, arguing his former wife already received distributions totalling $560,000, and monthly maintenance payments of $12,000 to $14,000.

Sophie Biggs claimed to have no assets or income to meet an award if Tim Biggs successfully resisted the appeal.

The court decided to set security for costs in the sum of $6600.

The parties are set to meet again on October 8.