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The Murdoch Case was a Supreme Court of Canada case (1975) involving matrimonial property law. Historically, wives could only own property by having it placed in their names or by providing all or part of its purchase price.
Murdoch Case
The Murdoch Case was a Supreme Court of Canada case (1975) involving matrimonial property law. Historically, wives could only own property by having it placed in their names or by providing all or part of its purchase price. No allowance was made for indirect contributions by them towards property acquisition or for their role in nurturing the family. In the Murdoch case the court decided that a wife who had helped run the family ranch had done "just about what the ordinary rancher's wife does" and had no right to a share in it. The outcry from women's groups produced reforms in provincial matrimonial property laws across Canada. Mrs Murdoch did obtain a lump sum of secured maintenance under the Federal Divorce Act.
