Family courts in many jurisdictions publish the outline of substantial divorces. Even where the proceedings are closed, judgments are reported, settlements are reported, and the financial disclosures filed with the court enter a record that, while restricted, is rarely tightly restricted in practice. The information that one party disclosed under compulsion becomes information that the other party, their advisers, and eventually a wider circle can access.

The English courts publish anonymised judgments that nonetheless identify the parties to readers who already know something of the matter. Singapore is more restrictive but not absolute. United States proceedings vary by state and are often the most exposed. In every jurisdiction, the long-term picture is that the substantial financial divorce leaves a documented residue.

The work is to plan for this in advance where possible, and to address the post-settlement record where the divorce has already occurred. The financial disclosures that were made, the judgment that was rendered, the press coverage that followed: each has a present-day visibility that can be read and, in some cases, addressed.

Where the picture matters, the considered approach makes a difference.