Polish Court Denies Compensation for Business Loss Linked to Infidelity

A Polish woman's attempt to claim compensation for lost business income during a property division case has been rejected by the Supreme Court. She had argued that her ex-husband's alleged deliberate neglect caused their businesses, a shop and a bar, to lose income compared to previous seasons. She sought to have these lost earnings factored into the division of their joint assets.

However, lower courts determined that the woman failed to prove the income loss stemmed from her husband's intentional actions. Instead, evidence suggested that her own repeated infidelity significantly contributed to the marital breakdown and subsequent decline in business interest and management. The court noted that problems arising from the marital discord affected the businesses, leading both spouses to reduce operations and hindering effective management of their shared property.

The Supreme Court upheld this reasoning. It clarified that property division proceedings under the family code focus on the total assets at the time of the ruling, not on past losses. While compensation can be sought for losses if one spouse's actions were unjustified, the court found no such proof in this case. The woman's claim was ultimately dismissed as she could not demonstrate her ex-husband was at fault for the lost profits.