Mrs Bolan

Mrs Bolan was a married woman who petitioned for divorce from her husband in January 1968. Jerry Booth was among those in the public gallery watching the proceedings, as his own divorce case had been postponed due to Mrs Bolan's overrunning and he had yet to be informed whether it would still take place that day.

Mrs Bolan's husband was fighting the divorce and so his wife had to go through the whole sorry history of their marriage in the dock, including two separations, her husband's drink problems, and her oldest child Daniel being in hospital, with her reaction implying that her husband had been violent to Daniel. Mrs Bolan was a nervous wreck on the stand had to be prompted by her counsel to speak up. When he asked her what transpired after the second reconciliation, Mrs Bolan broke down in tears, causing an uncomfortable Jerry to leave the court room.

The case had an effect on Jerry as he was worried about his and Myra's own problems being dredged up, however the following day he was granted his Decree Nisi without any muck-raking.