The Detroit Free Press reports on the $10 million dollar jury award in an oral contract (not palimony) case. Margaret Harvath worked for William Hubner for 20 years, mostly without pay. Employer and employee also carried on a close, personal and sexual relationship.
Marsha Low writes (excerpt):
Horvath, 42, sued Hubner, 69, for breach of contract, saying he promised to provide her a lifetime of easy living even after their relationship of 17 years ended. It was up to the jury of eight to decide if the couple had an agreement, and if she was entitled to part of Hubner’s wealth. Horvath asked for $27 million to $161 million.
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Horvath was 22 and a University of Michigan senior when the pair began dating. Hubner was 49 and a twice-divorced multimillionaire.
From the start, Hubner said he would never remarry. But Horvath pressed him on the issue. She said she loved him and admitted she wanted to secure her financial future.
But Hubner did not relent. Instead he told her not to worry and assured her he would provide for her.
In the end, Horvath stood by herself in a near-empty courtroom, digesting her victory and wiping away the tears, when it occurred to her something was missing.
“What happened to my car? They forgot about my car. It was on the list,” she said about Hubner’s Lexus GS400, the one she wanted to call her own.
I think that Horvath was just plain stupid during her relationship. Why would a woman put herself in a position to work for someone, be their lover and everything else, without getting paid on a weekly basis with taxes taken out. When this woman goes to retire, she will not be able to claim 100% of her social security, because she has not contributed enough. Just plain stupid to me.
This goes to show ya, woman out there, be smart, not stupid.