Backstory is: Separated in October last year. Ex has been having an affair, we've got 2 children. He's 'managed' the finances for years. On spitting, he was pressuring me to 'take half' but wouldn't show me the numerous bank accounts where our savings were being kept (in his name). In the days after he left I found out he'd withdrawn a huge sum of money from one of our joint accounts and after getting access to our main business account, I could see he'd been moving large sums for almost a year before the split. After asking a few times, I started the Form E process. I provided full and detailed info from my side. He replied with vague answers, quite a few of the bank accounts he'd told me about in an email when we split were not listed, no statements. I pushed for statements, took me 3 attempts, he eventually provided some but but not all, and could see he had falsified a list of transactions from one account, plus closed/moved quite large sums of money and has not confirmed where to. Got a solicitor to write a letter to him which he didn't respond to for 6 weeks, his response via a solicitor didn't answer all questions or provide statements for all of the bank accounts we now think he's got.
It's now going to court. I have spent quite a bit so far on solicitors fees, what I do have could run out within the year at this rate and he knows exactly how much I have. He's dragging his heels and hiding. All I want is to find out how much we have in the marital pot and then negotiate on how to split it fairly.
Has anyone got any positive stories from a similar situation? Did they respond fully and fess up to the accounts once they were court ordered? Was a settlement reached at the hearing or after? Did they not confess all and end up in contempt of court? I'm dreading this but I am in such a vulnerable position and he has controlled me financially for years, I need to stand my ground.