January 18, 2026
Rickards v Rickards [1989] EWCA Civ 8
Following divorce proceedings, the husband sought to appeal a financial order out of time. The county court refused an extension of time. The Court of Appeal considered whether it had jurisdiction to hear an appeal against that refusal, declining to follow Podberry v Peak and holding that Lane v Esdaile applied only to refusals of leave to appeal, not extensions of time. Facts Mrs Rickards filed a petition for divorce in October 1985, with a decree nisi granted in February 1986 and decree absolute in June 1987. On 20th September 1988, Mr Registrar Lay made a ‘clean break’ financial order
