Longest Connecticut Divorce Case Finally Ends after Much Ugliness
After 86 days and $13 million, a bitter, contentious Connecticut divorce trial has finally come to an end. The wild proceedings included a bit of everything , from substance abuse issues and intense fighting over division of property to allegations of child pornography and rape. When all was said and done, it was the longest divorce trial in the state of Connecticut.
In terms of numbers, the divorce case was staggering. The trial between Westport luxury travel entrepreneur Peter Tauck and his now ex-wife Nancy began in January of this year, and ran for 86 full days. During that time, over 100 witnesses were called, 42 volumes of filings were made and legal fees of $13 million were collected by lawyers.
At stake in the proceedings were $55 million in assets, of which Peter will retain around $40 million and Nancy will receive $10 million through alimony.
The New York Post article published at the start of the trial described the warring allegations from Peter to Nancy and vice versa best: "'Kid-Porn' Dad Vs. 'Pill-Pop Mom.'"
In the divorce suit, Nancy Tauck initially alleged that Peter raped her and that he kept pornography depicting children on his laptop computer. Further, Nancy claimed that Peter had sexually abused the children. So much for the possibility of a collaborative divorce.
As a result of her child pornography claims, the contents of Peter's laptop were handed over to the FBI for investigation. However, forensic evidence revealed that Nancy or someone working for her planted the photos in question on Peter's computer, according to the judge's decision.
In the judicial decision, Judge Holly Abery-Wetstone found the allegations to be "false and spurious."
Peter Tauck's divorce lawyers argued, on the other hand, that Nancy's claims were designed to distract the court from considering her own unfitness to raise the kids. They alleged that she was an abuser of alcohol and drugs, that she is suicidal and dangerous. During a vacation with the children, Nancy was allegedly hospitalized for a drug overdose.
Judge Abery-Wetstone granted Peter sole custody of his four children. For her part, Nancy will have very limited visitation rights: she will be allowed monitored, 10-minute conversations with her children each day, to be extended only if she completes an inpatient alcohol rehabilitation program.
Peter Tauck was ordered to pay his ex-wife $33,333 a month for six years and $20,833 each month after that. Tauck did get to keep the family's $5.7 million Westport home and $3.6 million vacation home in Lake Placid, New York.
The judge described the divorce as "a tragedy for everyone involved," especially the children. The four Tauck children had to submit to interviews for sexual abuse and begin therapy because of the false allegations made by Nancy Tauck.
However, Peter was not without blame for severe personal issues of his own. For substance abuse problems, he was also ordered to attend at least two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week, continue his treatment for attention deficit disorder, and hire a full-time nanny.
Of the many lessons to be learned from this divorce, none is more important than that the adults in this case put their own ambitions before the welfare of their children. In that sense, no judicial ruling can right the wrongs in this horrible divorce case.