The “world’s number one” divorce lawyer has revealed the most “shocking” prenup deal he’s ever seen – and it’s left people “horrified”.
James Sexton is a New York-based family lawyer who has helped litigate and finalise thousands of divorces during his 20 years in the industry.
But while Mr Sexton has experienced some nasty breakups in his time, the lawyer has just shared one of the most “disturbing” prenup deals he’s ever managed, and it’s fair to say it has put many people off the notion of marriage.
“The most shocking prenup I’ve ever seen had a provision that said, that for every 10lbs (4.5kgs) the wife gained in the marriage, she would lose $US10,000 (about $A15,000) in alimony,” the lawyer told Steven Bartlett on the Diary of a CEO Podcast.
“The husband was very concerned that she was going to become less attractive and he was going to become more wealthy.
“So his solution to this was in the prenuptial agreement.”
A prenup is a binding financial agreement which outlines a couple’s settlement arrangements in the event the relationship ends. This is signed before a couple get married and typically lists all the assets each person owns, including any debts, and specifies how these will be divided up as the result of divorce.
Mr Sexton, whose clients include celebrities and billionaires, described the agreement, which saw the wife earn $70,000-a-month (about $A105,000) if she maintained her weight from the date of marriage, as “outrageous” but revealed it held up in court.
“This was enforceable, meaning they tried to challenge and set aside that provision, and the court said ‘this is a disgusting provision, I don’t know why you married this person, but it’s enforceable. It’s a contract, the two of you signed it’,” he explained.
But despite it being upheld by the law, many thought it was a “gross” agreement, and said it left them “horrified”.
“That’s not love. That’s control,” one commented on a clip shared to TikTok.
“This would immediately be a reason to not get married,” another agreed.
As one mused: “Did she not read it before signing because that clause is crazy.”
“Run, get away as fast as you can,” declared another.
Mr Sexton added that as a lawyer he often sees these “ridiculous rules” crop up, but while it isn’t his definition of love, he stated he has “no right” to advise anyone else on what defines their relationship.
“You can’t argue with the fact that there’s something very honest and upfront about it,’ he explained.
“He was making very clear and putting in writing, here’s the value you bring to the relationship. I consider your physical appearance vitally important.
“But let’s not forget the other side of the equation. She was going to get $70,000-a-month, that’s a very impressive number, so I think she also understood there was a value to be attached to him as well.”
During the explosive interview, Mr Sexton – who is billed as having a “unique insight on how relationships fail and succeed” – also discussed the importance of sex on a lasting romance and revealed he’s seen marriages end within 48 hours.