Crazy English founder's divorce case in court again

The high-profile divorce case of language instructor Li Yang, founder of the controversial Crazy English lesson technique, and his wife was heard again in court on Friday, but no decision was handed down.

Qi Lianfeng, attorney of Kim Lee, Li's wife, told China Daily after the hearing that it was the third and final time that the Aoyuncun court will hear the case. The Aoyuncun court is affiliated with the Beijing Chaoyang district people's court.

Li Yang's wife Kim Lee?poses with protestors against domestic violence in front of a court in Beijing, Aug 10, 2012. [Photo/CFP]

"We stated some evidence in court, and the issues in the case were still on property division and child custody," Qi said, adding the hearing lasted more than three hours.

Liu Li, the judge in the case, refused to give more details, but said the court will give a verdict after studying all evidence.

The couple has been under the media spotlight since Lee, a US citizen, said on her micro blog in 2011 that Li had beaten her after an argument that August. She also posted pictures of her bruised face.

According to Lee's lawyer, Lee gave up real properties that had been transferred by Li before the trial because she did not want to spend much more time on the suit and hoped to end her relationship with Li as soon as possible.

"My client gave up dividing stock and brand rights of Li's company, Crazy English, since it will cost her more energy and make the trial longer," Qi said.

"The transferred real properties were also hard to divide, so Kim Lee will also give up the appeal on them."

However, for nine estate properties that Li did not transfer or that he changed to other names, Lee will ask to have eight of them divided, the lawyer said.

In addition, Lee is insisting on custody of the couple's three children who are living in Beijing with her, Qi said, adding that the court will likely make decisions on all issues by the end of August.

After the hearing, Li and Lee were surrounded by reporters, while some volunteers who resist domestic violence showed their support for Lee.

When reporters asked Li whether there was domestic violence, Li did not answer directly. Instead, he added the perceived violence might be a difference between Chinese and Western cultures.