Lesson of Christie Brinkley Divorce

Jill Brooke — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:14:48 -0400

It really isn't a surprise that architect Peter Cook was seen having a manicure. His claws were being sharpened for his divorce trial with model Christie Brinkley. Mr. Cook, who was the architect of his marriage's demise by having an affair with an 18 year old, apparently didn't fully realize how much he would lose, especially custody rights, as a result of his wandering weenie. Life with Brinkley included beautiful children, beautiful homes, a glamorous social life, boats, first-class plane rides and the access his wife's success provided.

And then poof, it was all gone when she threw him out. And naturally, he missed it.

Having been married three times before marrying Peter Cook, Christie Brinkley obviously insisted on a pre-nup. Like many well-heeled people, she thought her lawyers had written a solid agreement.

She married a Frenchman in the 70s and divorced him in 1981. With musician Billy Joel, the divorce was dissolved amicably and both maintained their own incomes and self-respect. Then came developer Rick Taubman, whom she reportedly paid $1 million for freedom and sole custody of their son, Jack Paris, now 13. Having been financially burned by her relationship with Taubman, Brinkley understandably was insistent that the pre-nup with Cook would be ironclad.

“Unfortunately the word ironclad is a bit of a myth,” says divorce lawyer Clifford M. Solomon, partner of Solomon Tanenbaum in Westchester. “Anyone can challenge a pre-nup. And it has worked in some cases. Someone will challenge that the person didn't reveal income or assets in the pre-nup and then the agreement is revisited to their advantage.”

Often the wealthier of the two sparring spouses will throw in some extra money or property beyond the pre-nup to just make the case go away. After all, a court trial is as ugly as Christie Brinkley is beautiful.

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Lesson of Christie Brinkley Divorce