An Australian court has told a mother she can no longer expect to fund her son's $60-a-week McDonald's habit, the Herald Sun reported Monday.
The woman, in court seeking spousal maintenance, sought $1400 (US$1450) per week for living expenses for herself and two of her children, who still live at home.
She told the Federal Magistrates' Court in Victoria that her teenage son had a "Macca's [McDonald's] habit."
But federal magistrate Evelyn Bender said the woman had to alter her lifestyle.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the amount claimed by the wife by way of weekly discretionary expenditure in her financial statement is excessive," Bender said.
"She can no longer expect to live as she may have prior to separation, paying $100 per week in gifts, $150 on jeans for [the youngest child] as well as financing his '[McDonald's] habit' and providing him with generous amounts of pocket money."
In an interim decision on spousal maintenance, Bender ordered that the husband pay the wife $800 per week.
The court heard that before the couple split, the husband had given the wife $800 per week for food, clothing, medical expenses and other expenses.
But last March, he reduced the payment to $300 per week.
The wife claimed that since then she had exhausted $24,000 in savings on daily living costs.
She said weekly expenses were $1800, including costs associated with the care of their disabled child.
She said her teenage son's casual clothing was expensive, with jeans costing $150 per pair.
When challenged as to why she could not buy less expensive brands, the woman replied, "Well I could but he wouldn't have what his mates have."
Source: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/offbeat/mom-goes-to-court-dgponc-20110404-ch_12622023
The woman, in court seeking spousal maintenance, sought $1400 (US$1450) per week for living expenses for herself and two of her children, who still live at home.
She told the Federal Magistrates' Court in Victoria that her teenage son had a "Macca's [McDonald's] habit."
But federal magistrate Evelyn Bender said the woman had to alter her lifestyle.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the amount claimed by the wife by way of weekly discretionary expenditure in her financial statement is excessive," Bender said.
"She can no longer expect to live as she may have prior to separation, paying $100 per week in gifts, $150 on jeans for [the youngest child] as well as financing his '[McDonald's] habit' and providing him with generous amounts of pocket money."
In an interim decision on spousal maintenance, Bender ordered that the husband pay the wife $800 per week.
The court heard that before the couple split, the husband had given the wife $800 per week for food, clothing, medical expenses and other expenses.
But last March, he reduced the payment to $300 per week.
The wife claimed that since then she had exhausted $24,000 in savings on daily living costs.
She said weekly expenses were $1800, including costs associated with the care of their disabled child.
She said her teenage son's casual clothing was expensive, with jeans costing $150 per pair.
When challenged as to why she could not buy less expensive brands, the woman replied, "Well I could but he wouldn't have what his mates have."
Source: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpps/news/offbeat/mom-goes-to-court-dgponc-20110404-ch_12622023
