Tini Owens loses Supreme Court divorce fight
Image copyright PAA woman who said her marriage was unhappy has lost a Supreme Court appeal to be granted a divorce.
Tini Owens, 68, from Broadway, Worcestershire, wanted the court to grant her a divorce from her husband of 40 years, Hugh.
The Supreme Court unanimously rejected the appeal, meaning she must remain married until 2020.
Lord Wilson said the case was dismissed "with reluctance" and that it is a question for Parliament.
The couple were married in 1978 and have two adult children.
Mrs Owens said she had been contemplating a divorce since 2012, but did not leave the matrimonial home until February 2015.
She alleged the marriage had broken down irretrievably and that Mr Owens had behaved in such a way that she could not reasonably be expected to live with him.
Mr Owens, 80, has refused to agree to a divorce and denied Mrs Owens' allegations about his behaviour.
'Very troubling'
He says if their marriage has irretrievably broken down it is because she had an affair, or because she is "bored".
Supreme Court president Lady Hale said she found the case "very troubling" but it was not for judges to "change the law".
The original judge who heard the case found the marriage had broken down, but that Mrs Owens' examples were "flimsy and exaggerated".
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Mrs Owens' lawyers said she should not have to prove Mr Owens' behaviour has been "unreasonable", only that she should not "reasonably be expected" to remain with him.
Her lawyers said a "modest shift" of focus in interpretation of legislation was required.
Nigel Dyer QC, who led Mr Owens' legal team, disagreed and raised concerns about the introduction of divorce on "demand".
