Readers of this blog may have been following the divorce drama between Oklahoma oil magnate Harold Hamm and his ex-wife. Recently, the court denied an appeal brought by Hamm’s ex-wife to the Oklahoma Supreme Court regarding the couple’s divorce case. Back in November 2014, a district court in the state of Oklahoma ruled that Hamm’s ex-wife should receive approximately $1 billion of the couple’s estate after they divorced. Hamm’s ex-wife later cashed a $975 million check from Hamm. Despite that, Hamm’s wife contested the award, as it allowed Hamm to retain most of the couple’s $18 billion marital estate.

According to the Supreme Court, however, the amount Hamm’s ex-spouse cashed consisted of the entire amount Hamm owed to his ex-wife, and he now owes no more. The court deemed that the cashing of the check meant Hamm’s ex-wife could no longer appeal the lower court’s decision. The state Supreme Court’s decision was seven-two.

Harold Hamm’s Divorce

High-asset divorce cases can be incredibly complicated and sometimes volatile. That being said, no matter what the size of the marital estate, both spouses usually want to retain their fair share of the assets. However, many disagreements can arise involving what “fair” means.

Therefore, it is important to understand the laws regarding property division in Oklahoma if one is facing a divorce. Even couples whose post-divorce relationship is on the rocks may be able to work with attorneys to come to an agreement regarding property division. And if a decision cannot be made out of court, an attorney may be able to litigate on their client’s behalf to attempt to secure a fair decision.