Under what condition can a court divide family property unequally?

In family law, courts are generally guided by principles of fairness and equity when dividing family property. The concept of "significantly unfair" serves as a key threshold for a court to adjust the equitable distribution of property from a purely equal split to an unequal division.

When property division under family law is deemed "significantly unfair," it implies that there are substantial factors or circumstances unique to the specific case that warrant a departure from the equal division guideline. This could involve considerations such as the contributions each spouse made to the family’s wealth, the duration of the marriage, the needs and circumstances of the children, or any other circumstances that would reasonably lead a court to conclude that maintaining an equal split would be inequitable.

This standard ensures that the court takes into account the nuances of each situation, addressing disparities that might not be immediately apparent from a simple numerical division. Thus, it recognizes that sometimes equal isn't fair, and an unequal division is necessary to achieve a just outcome.