I have not. 

Why would anyone consider not honoring a binding agreement? 

That there is a fee involved is none of their business.

Aside from a binding legal agreement- I wouldn't want this cloud over my head by not stepping up and doing what I had agreed to do. 

I have done deals with agents that I don't like and/or respect- but I still have my values and I won't treat them with disrespect simply because I don't like them. 

No. Nor could they make such a request unless they were willing to pay it themselves. Your Broker is correct. That's a contract between the agents. 

No, I haven't. Not sure why they would care.

This is a really odd question Tony Lewis . Why would a client do that?

No, and it's a contract that has to be paid.  In Georgia we have a consent form.

So if I understand the situation, the clients are contentiously divorcing and the referring agent was from the divorcing wife's ex's family and the divorcing wife doesn't want to work with her ex's family. 

If there's already been an agreement to pay the ex's family a referral fee it needs to be paid regardless of how she feels about them. Divorce is a messy thing and in this case, she's going to have to do something she just doesn't want to do.

Detail is missing, obviously, as to why the client does not want you to pay a referral fee. 

In realty, the client has nothing to say about it. You have a contractual obligation to pay.

Tony, everything in life is negotiable & that goes specifically for Real Estate too. I sat as a grievance & ethics Judge for 10 years & two things stood out:

1. The people before me wished they had either settled or did not do what they did

2. Everything I saw was preventable. Defective human nature was the culprit, first greed, then ignorance, then stubborness

By the way, my 20 years in the courtrooms taught me 1. Never be there & avoid at all costs & 2. Settle up before you regret it all Tony Lewis thank U

Hello Tony Lewis I never had a referred client ask me not to pay the referral fee.

I have not, do you know the reason why? 

No.

No but for that referral agent you would not have been able to assist you in the purchase

No as an agent and no as a managing broker. The referral agreement is between brokerages and not in the purview of the referred client. That said, a full understanding of the backstory would make explaining the reality easier to swallow and maybe allow the client to vent.

No.

I never discuss fees with a referred Buyer unless it is a corporate relocation and they have specific questions regarding their transfer, and in most cases, I will have them ask their coordinator at the company. In your case, I would pay the originating Broker the fee due, so you don't burn a bridge.

You mean as in 'don't pay THEM, pay ME instead'?

I saw a post in a FB group where the agent referred an investor to another agent and the guy tried to get the agent to credit THEM instead. 

In AZ ALL parties must be informed that it's subject to referral agreement and that inbound referral agent will be compensated.

I see the backstory comment now . . . ughhh 
regardless, it's a contract, not a conversation! 

Hard to imagine the reason why a referred client would demand that. Presumably, they agreed to the referral?

Here in CA, we just got a new required form for Referal between agents and it has to be disclosed to the principal. 

I did not think the referred client had a vote in this event.  

Have never had that happen.