Divorcee embroiled in money fight with ex-husband wants identity kept secret

A divorcee embroiled in a legal fight over money with her ex-husband says her identity should be kept secret.

The dispute between the pair has already been considered by a family court judge, and Court of Appeal judges are due to analyse the next stage of the litigation.

Family court judges overseeing divorce money fights normally hold hearings in private and litigants are often not identified.

Court of Appeal hearings are normally held in public and journalists are allowed to name adults involved.

But the woman says her financial affairs are "private business" and she wants appeal court judges to bar media organisations from identifying her in any reports of the case. Her ex-husband says he is "neutral".

Appeal court judges are expected to decide on her application at a hearing in London in the near future.

Detail of the case emerged at a preliminary appeal court hearing in August, when a judge said the woman and her ex-husband should not be named until arguments about identification had been fully analysed.

Judges have heard that the woman and her ex-husband reached a cash agreement several years ago after separating.

The woman says she has since discovered that he had more money than she realised, and she has made allegations of ''misrepresentation or fraud''.

She wants a judge to rule that she should get a bigger payout.

The woman has asked for anonymity after two High Court judges in England and Wales became involved in a public disagreement about how much the public should be told about people involved in big-money divorce battles in family courts.

Mr Justice Holman and Mr Justice Mostyn both specialise in family law and are both based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, where multimillion pound divorce money fights are normally overseen prior to any appeal.

Mr Justice Holman analyses cash fights between separated couples at public hearings.

He says there is a ''pressing need'' for more openness.

But Mr Justice Mostyn says such disputes are ''quintessentially private", and oversees hearings behind closed doors.

Both have outlined their views in rulings on cases.

Other judges based in the Family Division of the High Court have not publicly outlined their views, but most normally hold hearings in private and appear to agree with Mr Justice Mostyn.