Washington appeals court says trial judges can award legal fees despite prenups

Washington's Court of Appeals has ruled that trial courts may order legal fees to be paid even when a prenuptial agreement is in place. The decision lets judges weigh the wider circumstances of a divorce when deciding fee awards. The ruling arose from a case involving a wealthy husband who was ordered to cover his wife's legal costs. The trial court has been directed to reconsider the specific amounts awarded to the wife. The case is part of a broader dispute between the couple over assets and fees tied to their divorce.