Wives suing mistresses over gifted properties
By Liu Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-02 07:33

In mid-December, the court ruled against Qian.

"Although the relation between Wu and Xiao is against social virtue standard, no law forbids Xiao to receive property from a married man," the ruling stated.

Since it was Wu who gave Xiao the money, which was the joint property of the family, the one who infringed Qian's rights was Wu, the court said.

Although the Marriage Law makes no provision for protecting the mistress's property rights, Yang said it still depends.

"For example, I once heard about a case in Southwest China's Sichuan Province," Yang said. "A mistress accompanied her lover during his last days of his life, and the wife did not fulfil her duties at all.

"The man left part of his money to the mistress in his will. However, the court deprived the mistress of the right to receive the money.

"I believe the judgment was not appropriate according to the Inheritance Law. Non-heirs who foster the deceased should receive an appropriate inheritance."