The divorce between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie has become high profile in today’s news. It’s not often that a celebrity divorce earns its own nickname. In this case, the press is calling it the “Brangelina Split.”
Even though each parent is worth many millions, the main contested divorce issue is child custody of their six children.
As in many divorces, if the couple can reach a settlement outside of court, they have better chances of making their divorce more amicable. It remains to be seen how they will resolve the custody issue, but here are some benchmarks along the road of their divorce.
Angelina Jolie filed for divorce at the end of September 2016 and sought sole child custody. Allegations of abuse emerged against Brad Pitt shortly after she filed.
In October, USA Today published an article that disclosed the temporary custody arrangement was for Angelina to have sole custody and Brad to have visitation. They worked out the agreement through the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The agreement included terms of Brad submitting to random drug/alcohol testing and both parents undergoing separate and family counseling. Brad’s first visit with the children was to be monitored by a therapist, but that stipulation was not necessary an ongoing requirement for later visits.
On November 9, USA Today reported that the LA County DCFS cleared Brad Pitt after exhaustively investigating charges of Pitt’s alleged abuse against his 15 year old son. Brad Pitt subsequently has filed for joint custody of the children.
Their divorce case is being heard in California, and under state law, courts favor awarding joint custody whenever possible. Generally, parents enjoy a 50/50 parenting time arrangement so both parents can spend time with their children. Children over 14 years of age typically can state their preference during custody proceedings and the court takes their view into consideration.
Attorney Chris Palermo offers compassionate legal help for individuals seeking divorce to help protect their rights.
Johnny Depp’s claimed net worth according to Celebrity Net Worth is $350 million but actual worth may be closer to $400 million. After two years of marriage, his wife Amber Heard filed for divorce in a Los Angeles court last week. They married without a prenuptial agreement, and she requested spousal support but Depp denied the demand International Business Times reports.
Depp was paid $61.1 million for his role in Alice Through the Looking Glass and averages a yearly income of $41.1 million.
Prior to marrying Amber Heard, Depp had been with French model Vanessa Paradis for 14 years. They never married, but had two children together. When their relationship ended, according to hollywoodlife.com, the spit was amicable. He was worth $300 million at that time, and in a settlement, he awarded $150 million to Vanessa.
Romance is blissful and when you fall in love, the idea of breakup is not real. Perhaps the idea of ever splitting up is too painful to entertain. Yet, in today’s society and especially among celebrities, marriage often does not last.
Johnny Depp’s previous relationship did not require a prenuptial agreement, and he willingly gave half his wealth to his partner.
Because California is a community property state, a spouse is legally entitled to half of the community property. Yet the recent breakup does not appear to be so amicable. The divorce began with Amber Heard filing for a restraining order for alleged domestic abuse. At this point, the characteristics of this breakup are more like a battle, in contrast to the much longer partnership that ended with such grace.
If you have considerable wealth, for practical reasons, consider consulting with an attorney about creating a prenuptial agreement.
Suffolk County divorce attorney Chris Palermo can discuss prenuptial agreements with you and the benefits of creating one prior to marriage.
Life goes on after divorce and this includes co-parenting. You’ll be glad to know that digital communication has made many aspects of co-parenting easier. Aside from skyping or sending text messages and emails as ways to stay in touch with your kids, there are also apps available that can help you plan and manage your schedules together.
One co-parenting application to consider is 2houses.com which helps you in various ways:
Divorce and Family Law Attorney Chris Palermo works closely with you to help your divorce go as smoothly as possible. However, he also takes great satisfaction in seeing family members get along and manage their lives well after divorce.
The cases of 14 couples and two widowers that challenged same-sex marriage bans in a variety of states came before the U.S. Supreme Court for its final decision this June. The Supreme Court addressed the issues of whether states should be compelled to perform same-sex marriages as a Fourteenth Amendment right based on due process and protection under this amendment. In addition, if not compelled to do so, the justices had to decide whether states have to honor same-sex marriages performed in other states.
In a 5-4 decision, the highest court in the United States ruled that states had to recognize same-sex marriages. CNN reported that the lead plaintiff in the case, Jim Obergefell, had married his spouse, John Astor, months before John died. They lived in Ohio, and to get married in Maryland, they flew aboard a medical jet. After John passed away, Obergefell was left fighting legal battles so he could be recognized as John’s spouse on the death certificate.
Two Detroit-area nurses who are a Michigan same-sex couple were also part of the 14 couples appealing their case to the Supreme Court. They took care of four special needs newborns, either abandoned or surrendered at birth. Because Michigan law required couples to be married to adopt, the same-sex couple was prevented from adopting the children, despite the fact they were providing them with foster care.
These are just a few examples of the combined cases that went before the Supreme Court in this decision. Although a close ruling, the Supreme Court’s finding concurred with public opinion as seen in recent polls. Polls showed that 61 percent of the U.S. population in the survey believed that same-sex couples should have the right to marry.
If you face legal issues as a same-sex couple, Chris Palermo is a compassionate and experienced Long Island divorce lawyer. He can protect your rights and is committed to obtaining a favorable case outcome on your behalf.