Heather Mills is considering a new legal battle to try to force the publication of court papers detailing her marriage to Sir Paul McCartney, her lawyer said today.
Mills, who was awarded £24.3 million in the recent divorce judgment, was frustrated that full court transcripts were held back under the terms of a gagging order.
At the same time, Mr Justice Bennett rejected claims that the full publication of the judgment, including security and living arrangements, could put their four-year-old daughter, Beatrice, in danger.
David Rosen, who took over as her solicitor-advocate when she became “overwhelmed” by the fact the judgment was going to be made public, said: “It’s a time for reflection. She has to consider her options.
Rosen, of law firm Darlingtons, said Mills was “desperate to get back to her charity work” although she would probably work behind the scenes to avoid intrusive questions about the case.
He said Mills was “very happy” with the money that she received in the settlement and would have accepted a lesser sum.
But Rosen said the public was judging Mills on a small amount of the evidence and it would “perhaps be better for the public to see everything”.
He added that he had “no criticism” of Justice Bennett for his decision.
Rosen has bought a court painting of a scene in which Ms Mills is reported to have poured a jug of water on the head of Sir Paul’s lawyer Fiona Shackleton.
“It’s a good picture, even though it might have been fantasy. The court artist wasn’t there,” he said.
“All I can say is she went in with her hair in a certain way and she came out with her hair in another certain way. She looked good.”
He said he liked the lawyer a lot and that she was “very professional, very proper”.
Rosen also praised Mills as an intelligent woman who presented her case very well.
He said: “I’ve seen junior barristers do a far worse job than she did. I think she did remarkably well.
“She had the pressure of the newspapers, the pressure of not making a fool of herself and remaining objective, and the pressure of answering the questions in the case.”
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