Divorce Can Turn Up Lots Of Information

A story in today’s Wall Street Journal showcases what can happen in a particularly bitter divorce. Sometimes topics that seem to have nothing to do with your marriage will end up in the court record in an effort to embarrass one of the parties.

The divorce attorneys working for the soon to be ex-wife of United Technologies former CEO George David are questioning his use of corporate aircraft for his and his friends’ personal travel.

The company doesn’t charge its executives for personal travel on corporate aircraft, but calculates the cost of the trip and adds it to the executive’s taxable income. I am not sure if the wife is alleging that Mr. David is trying to hide income, or if she is just trying to make his life difficult considering the connotations of personal use of company planes.

I doubt that this will have any effect on Mr. David’s employment prospects. He stepped down from his role of CEO in April 2008 after 15 years in the job.