have been widely quoted in the British press. On 9 March 2007, Mrs Charman was tied up and robbed of jewellery worth £300,000 at her home, in an incident police believe could have been motivated by the press coverage the case has attracted. Court of Appeal In a judgment handed down on 24 May 2007, the Court of Appeal dismissed John Charman's appeal against the award of £48 million made to his wife Beverley. The Court reviewed the law as it stood at the end of May 2006 following the judgment of the House of Lords in the combined cases of Miller and McFarlane, interpreting and refining the guidance provided by the judgments in those cases. The Court has provided clarity in a number of areas connected with the distribution of assets on divorce, particularly in three aspects: The treatment of trust assets Guidance on the principles which apply when redistributing wealth between parties, particularly that property should be shared in equal proportions unless there is a good reason to depart from equality Guidance on the concept of a special contribution which either party can be found to have made to a marriage and how that should be quantified when redistributing assets on divorce The Court has also called for a far-reaching review and reform of the law in this area in England and Wales. Helen Ward of Manches, who has represented Mrs Charman throughout these proceedings, said, "This is a significant judgment and brings welcome clarity to a number of important aspects of the law relating to the distribution of assets on divorce." "The Solicitors profession will positively embrace the Court's suggestion for a broad review and reform in this area to create modern law reflecting today's modern society." Statement from Beverley Charman in response to Court of Appeal judgment "I acknowledge that the sum awarded to me is huge by any standards but the Court of Appeal has decided that it fairly reflects the contributions made by John and me during our twenty eight-year marriage. The breakdown of our marriage has been a painful experience for all concerned. Our divorce proceedings started nearly three years ago. It has been a difficult time, not just for me but for our family. I have been particularly concerned for our sons who have had to bear the discussion in public of our lives, our marriage and our divorce. I am relieved