Pune: Filing multiple legal claims in different courts across various cities has become a growing trend in marital disputes, with the aim of harassing the spouse and forcing them to make frequent court appearances.
These tactics are often used by both husbands and wives to intensify the pressure, resulting in increased resentment between the partners and placing undue stress on their families.
Such cases typically aim to secure quicker orders for alimony or maintenance, or to compel the other party to settle the dispute on the petitioner’s terms.
Filing Multiple Cases to Cause Distress:
The strategy of filing claims in multiple courts is being used to delay proceedings and frustrate the other party.
These filings are often spread across different cities, leveraging the legal system in a way that makes it difficult for the other spouse to keep up with the court dates and proceedings.
Such practices have been observed to result in significant inconvenience, especially when done with the intent to force a quick settlement or increase the alimony or maintenance payout.
Use of Multiple Addresses in Filings:
In many cases, the wife may rely on different locations, such as her marital home, parental home, or workplace, to file claims.
For instance, incidents of alleged harassment while living at the in-laws' home may be cited in one city, while another claim might focus on incidents that occurred while she was staying with her parents or working in another city. Such practices are used to establish jurisdiction and spread the litigation across multiple courts.
Legal Proceedings and High Court Petitions:
When cases are filed in different jurisdictions, the aggrieved spouse often approaches the High Court to consolidate the hearings in a single court.
If the High Court determines that the cases were filed with the intent to harass, it may order that all hearings be conducted in one location. However, the petitioner still has the right to appeal against such orders.
Legal Rights and Resolution:
Lawyers point out that both spouses have legal rights, and the use of these rights to file claims across different courts is not illegal.
However, if the intent behind such actions is deemed malicious, the courts may intervene and streamline the process to reduce harassment and speed up resolution. Each case is judged on its merits to ensure a fair outcome for both parties.
