Man Ordered To Pay Spousal Support Even Though He Wasn’t Married, Had No House Or Children

Article here. Excerpt:

'A wealthy Toronto businessman is on the hook to pay his ex-girlfriend more than $50,000 a month for the next 10 years after a court determined they were long-time spouses despite never being married and never living together.

Michael Latner, a reported multi-millionaire, was in a relationship with List Climans for 14 years. Latner was a divorced father of three while Climans was a separated mother of two when they began their romantic relationship in October 2001, the National Post reported. Throughout their 14-year relationship, the couple lived in separate homes, but would regularly stay over at each other’s houses. They also went on vacation together, and Latner showered Climans with expensive gifts, including a 7.5-carat diamond ring and other jewelry. He also gave Climans “thousands of dollars each month, a credit card, [and] paid off her mortgage,” the Post reported. Climans reportedly quit her job and would sleep at Latner’s house often.

The two had their own bank accounts and never bought property together, nor did they have any children together.

Latner proposed to Climans several times—and she accepted. They were never married due to his request that she sign a marriage contract, which she refused.
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After an eight-day trial, Superior Court Justice Sharon Shore ruled that Latner and Climans were, in fact, long-time spouses and that Latner should pay Climans $53,077 a month indefinitely. Shore ruled that even though the couple maintained separate homes, they spent part of the summer together at Latner’s cottage and stayed together in Florida for winter vacations. That was enough to determine cohabitation.'