Nicholas Mostyn

Sir Nicholas Anthony Joseph Ghislain Mostyn He was retained by Fiona Shackleton in Paul McCartney's divorce case against Heather Mills.

Mostyn became an assistant recorder in 1997, and both a recorder and a deputy High Court judge (in the Family Division) in 2000. He was knighted on 11 May 2010.

In 2015, Mostyn was removed from a case after he failed to follow a relevant ruling of the Supreme Court concerning rights of disabled people (namely that they have the same right to "physical liberty" as non-disabled people). This was the second such occurrence.

Mostyn's last sitting was 28 July 2023, and he officially retired on 14 December 2023.

Personal life Mostyn labels himself "Catholic, Welsh and Wagnerian", In March 2024 the UK Broadcasting Press Guild named Movers and Shakers its 'UK Podcast of the Year'.

Notable cases As counsel Karen v Ray Parlour: won more than £4m in 2004 in a divorce against the settlement former Arsenal F.C. footballer, where it was ruled that Karen's efforts to curb Parlour's addiction to the 'laddish' footballer drinking culture meant she had played an important role in his career. She was awarded a £250,000 lump sum, an annual personal maintenance allowance of £406,500, two tax-free homes, £37,000 maintenance for their three children, and 37.5% of his future earnings. before Mills' solicitor Anthony Julius, leading to them being known during the case by the media as the "legal dream team." Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer v second wife, Carolyn Freud: Mostyn represented the Earl. After losing the right to have the case heard in a closed court session, the Earl was upset at the final settlement. Mostyn, a keen farmer, named his latest batch of seven pigs after his thoughts on the case's high court judge, Mr Justice James Munby: James, Munby, Self-regarding, Pompous, Publicity, Seeking, Pillock. The Earl later unsuccessfully sued Mostyn. Katrin Radmacher v Nicolas Granatino: Mostyn represented Nicolas Granatino against millionairess, Katrin Radmacher. Mrs Radmacher was represented by Richard Todd QC. Mrs Radmacher was successful in effecting a change in the common law so that pre-nups were no longer void for public policy reasons.

As judge Re AA: Mostyn presided as judge and authorised an NHS Trust to deliver a child by emergency caesarian section, as the mother was judged to have lacked capacity to have consented to the operation herself. The mother was an Italian citizen who was visiting the UK; during her visit she suffered a severe psychological episode. The child was later the subject of a care application by Essex County Council. RF v Secretary of State for Work And Pensions EWHC 3375 (Admin) (21 December 2017): Mostyn ruled that the DWP had been engaging in practices that were "blatantly discriminatory against those with mental health impairments and which cannot be objectively justified. The wish to save nearly £1 billion a year at the expense of those with mental health impairments is not a reasonable foundation for passing this measure." Ministers had earlier rewritten the law in order to be able to ignore the outcome of a tribunal that resulted in similar conclusions. The DWP decided not to appeal after Mr Justice Mostyn's ruling.