Jelly Judges, please pass judgement: Guy wins $338 million. Should his girlfriend of 10 years and mother of his child be entitled to any part of it?

The children are definitely entitled to some of it.

Yes, he is being a deadbeat.

Entitled? No. He isn’t entitled to it either. It’s a windfall. Nothing is being taken away from her. Nothing that belongs to her is being withheld. It isn’t earned income. It isn’t anything she participated in by supporting him while he earned it. I think he’s entirely within his rights to dispose of it in any lawful way he chooses.

On the other hand, it would certainly be decent of him to share it with her. Not that he sounds like the type.

I don’t blame her for wanting it. But suing for it? These two sound like they deserve each other.

He will have to pay child support. Probably not $169M worth, but something. If they weren’t legally married (however that is defined where they live), then I suppose he doesn’t have to give his ex-girlfriend anything.

But obviously, he’s a jerk. Not because he doesn’t want to give her money, but because he stayed with her until there was money, and then left.

This cash was gifted to him by chance, for the child not to be a beneficiary of this gift is an act of pure malice…he’s a twat.

They should give the whole lot to the Philippines disaster appeal.

Yep, she’s entitled to a portion of it by having been a common law partner for so long. His receiving a bounty doesn’t give him the right to become a douche.

In the community property states like California there would be no question about it, half is automatically hers. In other states, a court of law would most likely uphold her claim.

I’m not sure what laws are out there about legal marital statuses, but I see the money as his. He’s still a different person and if it was his lottery ticket, then nobody but he is entitled to the prize.

New Jersey does not recognize common law marriage. Legally speaking, I think she is out of luck.

That being said, he’s a jerk and I hope she gets a good child support order.

Morally or legally?

Morally, he should share with her, but legally, no obligation.

I’m not sure I agree that “morally, he should share with her”. Morally, he should share with his son. But I don’t think he’s obligated to share with his ex-girlfriend, unless he owes her money or she supported him over a long period, or something (apologies, I haven’t read the linked story).

I just wish that he cared enough to want to share it with her.

No.

We seem to forget all about the contract aspect of marriage when it comes to straight couples…

It seems a verdict would require a great deal more information.

Most definitely he should share his wealth with his son through some means, even if it is put into a trust fund or college fund. As well, all of his son’s needs should be met. That is just his responsibility as a father.

However, he doesn’t sound like a very stand up guy, more like a real creep. I doubt all of that money will make him any better as a person.

The decent thing to do would be to share at least a little with his girlfriend to help her get set up after kicking her out. Sheesh.

Oh, common law marriage, I overlooked that. California does not generally recognize that either, but the child would have some stake in it I would think.

Courts nearly always side with splitting the winnings.

Left with $150M after winning $338M.

I hope he lost so much due to choosing a lump sum.

If it’s all taxes I seriously submit that she will see some of it indirectly.

ALWAYS take the lump sum. That’s econ 101.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_value_of_money
The child will be entitled to child support. If it is a state that supports common law then she is entitled to some as well.

His child is entitled to some legally, I’m sure. Other than that, no one is entitled to anything, it’s up to him.

When you win, people come out of the wood work so I’m not judging him.

The guy is obviously acting like a cunt, and he should give her at least half of it just to de decent.

However, she did not win anything, so I would say the money is his to do with as he likes, and if it his choice to hoard it all, that it is his right to do so.

Personally. with a sum of 150 million, the right thing to do would be to peel off 10 million for yourself, as that plus the interest it makes would be more than enough for him to live a life of absolute luxury until the day he dies. The other 140 should be split between family, and to a certain extent the local homeless people and charities.

For a tiny 1% share, managed well and well invested, you have enough to get 10 homeless people off the street and save at least one terminally ill kid.

Also… If the government really did steal over half of it, he should seriously consider giving a million or two to the republicans, to get himself some of those tax cuts for the rich. Shit, I am all in favor of socialism and free health care and paying tax to support hospitals and fire departments, but no one should ever be taxed that much.

Seriously, just how much money does any one person need? If he doesn’t share it with an ex and child, then he’s a shitty human being. If I won $150 million, my family members would get some, my friends would get some, my favorite charities would get some – wtf, dude?

Morally she might, but actually she don’t. She rented the hooha all those years and did not insist on sealing it with a ring, she should have known better; maybe the next one glomming up to him because of his money will have more smarts.

^ So SHE’S the one with the sexual asset.

He is obligated to the children he has to pay child support he has no choice wherever he lives. But I don’t know what kind of horrible she been to him for those 10 years. Or him to her for that matter. He doesn’t really owe her, but he shouldn’t let her the mother of his children live on the street/ in poverty either for the sake of the children.

Considering that many lottery winners, because of the winnings, change their lifestyles and spending habits so much that despite having all the extra money available to them, they bankrupt and impoverish themselves and wreck their lives. He seems to have gotten a head start on the process.

This may be a case, for her, of winning by losing. If she loses the money it won’t wreck her life, and if she loses him then she’s winning on top of that.

I say take him to court for both palimony and child support, at very least the child has a right to live the lifestyle in which the father can afford.

Life’s not fair, and this prick will, most likely, only become a bigger prick, with money and an enormous ego erection. Of course he should share , maybe not 50/50, but come on really? Squeeze out at least a few hundred k for your child and the mother of your child so she can care for him in a decent fashion.
Morally yes, he should share, but legally he is not obligated.

When morons win huge amounts of money, nothing more pathetic IMO.

Even I’m not sure what the law states but since they are not married she has no rights to his property or share. Basically what is his is his, what is hers is hers, and what is jointly-owned needs to be divided. In regards to his kids, he will be required to pay for their support even if they are married or not. She can petition for an increase in support owing to his increased income.

Even spouses do not have any claim on a spouses inheritance. Unless you put the monies in a joint account, by law, inheritances belong soley to the inheriting beneficiary.

I do not know the situation.
Maybe he has been wanting to marry her for 10 years, and she has said absolutely not.
Maybe she is an unfit mother, and he is going to try to get full custody.
I don’t know any of the gory details, and I am glad they don’t stand in judgement by me.

She moves for support, he moves for full custody, and with his new found bucks he may actually get it, or bleed her athorney dry so he/she will be force to give up.

@Hypocrisy_Central was on the right track, I think. She (Ex girlfriend) should become close friends with a hot chick who posesses very startling talents to marry him, divorce him, take him to the cleaners, then split the goods with child and mother.

As @filmfann pointed out “Maybe she is an unfit mother, and he is going to try to get full custody.” We just don’t know this particular case.

He needs his ass kicked. He kicked them out after winning? Does he care nothing about his child? Hope the courts sodomize him.

If she wants to get millions, either she can play the lotto, or just wright a tell-all book; I am sure a few publisher would glom onto that idea.

Update. It seems money can bring happiness~

Thanks for the update. It’s a disaster either way…

Fascinating how quickly he adapted to the image befitting an asshole with money. But I’d like more details about the breakup, and whether or not he really was stupid enough to send her and the kid away penniless.

Depends on his States common law marriage rules.

He better now get a iron clad prenupt while the heat is off.