A significant UK court ruling allows agreements reached during marriage on the disposal of assets in the case of divorce to be legally binding.

But not agreements reached before marriage.

This reads oddly:

Legal experts say the important ruling will lead to many couples deciding how to settle their financial affairs after getting married, through a postnup, because it is fairer than working it out before the wedding in a Hollywood-style pre-nup…

… "During their marriage, couples are now able to agree what they think is fair if they should split up rather than have the courts impose its version of fairness upon them.

Huh?

Why is working it our during the marriage ‘fairer’ than doing so beforehand?

Maybe because of a reworking of the old joke:

Rich Partner:       I’ll give you £5 if you sleep with me.

Poor Partner:       Are you treating me like a slut?!

Rich Partner:       OK, £10,000!

Poor Partner:       How dare you insult me!

Rich Partner:       Here’s my best offer: £2 million and marriage thrown in.

Poor Partner:       Now you’re talking. Done.

Later.

Rich Spouse:      You’re a piece of cheating trash. Here’s a divorce – oh, and £5.

Would-be Rich Spouse:     Whaaat? Where’s my £2 million?

Rich Spouse:      We established the principle – now let’s negotiate the price.

Pacta sunt servanda, whenever they are made.

The courts’ job should be to uphold private good faith deals between grown-ups, not start meddling with or even ignoring them.