Kathleen Wyatt, 55, first took legal action against Dale Vince, 53, who set up wind-power firm Ecotricity, in 2011. Ms Wyatt won her bid to claim ‘financial remedy’ 20 years after her divorce from Dale Vince. Mr Vince had previously appealed against his ex-wife on the basis she had lodged the claim too late.However, the five Supreme Court justices unanimously ruled Ms Wyatt's case should go before the family court.

Contribution of each party

In the ruling, Lord Wilson said the court must have regard "to the contribution of each party to the welfare of the family, including by looking after the home or caring for the family.' According to Ursula Danagher, partner and family law specialist at law firm Thomas Eggar: 'This case reinforces the need for divorcing couples to formally sever their financial ties with one another on marriage breakdown.  Although somewhat unique on its specific facts, this case also hammers home the need to take account of the ‘fairness’ argument in family law.  Marriage is not a commercial contract and a mother’s contribution to the upbringing of a child in the family cannot and should not be ignored as merely historical.'