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What can we learn from serial celebrity break-ups, billionaire bust-ups, misbehaving spouses, pants-on challenged politicos and the ever-shifting landscape of divorce law? Question is, "What CAN'T we learn"? With latte in hand and clicky finger at the ready, dive in for the best in divorce news, views, gossip, and buzz – assembled below for your reading pleasure.

Our current contributors are Jill Brooke, Maureen Dempsey, Naomi Dunn, and Linda Lee.

Donna Carlisle's picture

Celebrity Splits Roundup

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Fri, 02/08/2008 - 10:00am

Here's a rundown of the latest in celebrity divorce. Just the thing to get you through those last ticking hours at work!

In British news, Cheryl Cole, a singer in the group Girls Aloud, may be divorcing her soccer hubby Ashley Cole after discovering that he slept with a hairdresser and offered her money to have an abortion. Originally, after these first claims were made, she said she'd stick by her husband, but other women have come forward since then claiming they too have slept with him. He has reportedly begged her to come back, but she remains away from the family home in an undisclosed location and refuses to speak to him. Sounds like this one will be over before you can say World Cup.

Coming back over to our side of the ocean, Dina Matos McGreevey and former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey (pictured here) are in court yet again for their messy, ongoing divorce. Dina had petitioned the court for full and broad access to Jim's partner's financial holdings, claiming that the couple's money was intertwined, and as such she had a right to see what he owned and possessed. The courts agreed in part, saying that the three joint bank accounts the gay couple share are up for view, but Mark O'Donnell's salary, stocks, and other various financial dealings are not to be revealed for court scrutiny.

Dina and Jim are still attempting to hammer out child support and custody issues, with Dina apparently trying to get every cent that she can. I must say it's hard to blame her. Most women would probably be rather angry to have their husband come to them after years of marriage and a child born and say they're gay. As long as she doesn't go all Heather Mills, she'll probably have a good shot at custody and a chunk of his cash.

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Donna Carlisle's picture

Hulk Hogan Divorce Gets Nastier

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Thu, 01/31/2008 - 10:00am

Linda Bollea is definitely not letting her estranged hubby walk all over her. Recent documents filed in court show that Linda is going after primary custody of their son, Nick. She alleges that husband Terry Bollea, aka Hulk Hogan, violated his responsibilities by failing to include Linda in decisions regarding their son and his best interests.

And to think Hulk was once voted Father of the Year.

Linda also wants exclusive ownership of the family mansion and of their beach house, and she's already requested that the judge bar Terry from entering the properties or enjoying them without her say so. No wild parties for Hulk till he clears it with the wife.

Of course, much dispute is already going into money. Linda has already tried to get their accounts frozen over fear that Terry is funneling funds away into trusts owned by wrestling buddy Eric Bischoff.

The judge has refused to freeze the money thus far, but Linda isn't giving up. In her words "I just want my fair share".

I think that's all anyone can really hope to get during a divorce proceeding.

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Donna Carlisle's picture

Britney Bails On Visitation Hearing

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Tue, 01/15/2008 - 11:00am
Britney really needs some new advisors. Maybe even ones who are willing to beat one basic truth into that pretty yet seemingly-impervious skull of hers.

If she doesn't do something quick, she will lose her kids for good.

Ok, perhaps that's a bit more ominous than it should be, but she's doing herself no favors whatsoever by her latest behavior.

Yesterday there was a hearing to determine whether Britney could have some form of visitation reinstated after it was suspended last week following her widely covered flip out. Several of the people who were there that fateful night were also on hand to testify in the hearing. Apparently the judge had as good an idea of what happened as we did, which is not much at all.

Of course, Brit herself would have been the prime person to ask, and maybe if the judge had been able to determine what she was thinking or why she reacted the way she did, he could have made a more informed decision on whether she deserved some visitation. However, Britney did not show.

Yes, that's right, Britney did not show up to try and gain back custody. She drove to the courthouse, circled it, even went into the parking structure and out to circle the building again, but after paparazzi swarmed on her, she began screaming at them to get back, saying she was scared.

So, the judge came to the conclusion that her custody should not be reinstated in any form until the next hearing in February. I have no idea what is going on in her head right now, but I hope she can get herself straightened out, for her kids' sake at least.

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Donna Carlisle's picture

Bobby And Brit Lose In Court

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Mon, 01/07/2008 - 11:00am

Bobby Brown's attempts to overturn the current terms of his divorce were denied on Friday. Apparently his motion was denied because he didn't bother to call or show up to court for a scheduled hearing, and there aren't any more court dates pending, at least not at present.

Obviously he's really wanting to change things if he can't even bother to call it in.

In April, Whitney Houston was awarded a default judgement, leaving Brown with no spousal support and visitation rights to their daughter. The next month Brown sued for shared custody and spousal support, claiming he was tricked into not responding in time to Houston's filing.

Really, if he's got any kind of legal counsel, they should have been able to take care of that with no problem. Maybe if he's so forgetful, he shouldn't be sharing custody of his daughter just yet.

Also in the news of custody and Britney Spears, after her debacle over the weekend, her visitation has been suspended completely until January 14, when there will be another hearing to determine if the suspension should continue or if she should regain some measure of visiting rights.

Let's ask ourselves, honestly, if this is at all surprising. Here's hoping the suspension stays until Miss Spears can get some help, and not just people willing to accommodate her every whim.

Donna Carlisle's picture

Same Old Celebrity Tricks

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Fri, 01/04/2008 - 11:00am

Yes, while 2008 is just barely upon us, some celebrities are taking advantage of the new year to shed some unwanted or unneeded baggage, while others are simply celebrating a bit too hard.

Pamela Anderson has once again filed for divorce from hubby Rick Salomon, having him personally served with papers a couple weeks before the new year. Recent posts on Pam's blog don't say anything about her soon-to-be ex. He has 30 days to file a response to her claim, and a lawyer who is not connected to the case commented that with the way the paperwork has been filed, it seems this is going to proceed. Who knows, maybe her hubby can try and sweet talk her in the next 2 weeks. It worked before!

David Faustino, best known as Bud Bundy on the TV show "Married With Children", ended his marriage just before the new year. He and his ex-wife Andrea had been married for 2 years before separating in May 2006, with David filing for divorce in February of 2007. The two came to an undisclosed agreement about property, spousal support and legal fees. There weren't any kids so no worries about the fun and exciting divorce-stretcher that is the custody battle.

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Yes, even Heather Mills and Paul McCartney can't get through a holiday without letting off a little steam. The first in a series of arguments over the holiday period began when they met to hand off their daughter. Heather accused her husband of stringing out the proceedings in order to "starve her out".

Heather currently is in a very tight money situation, especially since her former lawyers have come knocking for nearly $4 million in unpaid bills. She was appalled by the amount of money he spent on his daughter's holiday gifts, reportedly blowing nearly $30,000 on new clothes, music gear, and Barbie dolls, among other items. His choice of gifts also rankled her, as she told him that Barbie wasn't an appropriate role model and that he was trying to pressure their daughter into a music lifestyle rather than letting her make her own decisions and be a "free spirit".

Other angry words were exchanged, with Heather saying he'd ruined Beatrice's holiday by not settling yet, and Paul criticizing Heather for her media run on "GMTV" and "Good Morning America". He apparently also advised her to re-mortgage her $7 million home when she began talking about her money situation and how she currently could not afford good lawyers. She insinuated that things could turn ugly, and he said it had already gone too far and there was no going back now.

Heather apparently threatened to take Beatrice and move to the United States, where she says she's been getting offers. Oddly enough, if she has been, why isn't she here trying to earn some cash to pay off her debts?

Let's face it, the pressure-cooker of their divorce is getting ready to blow sky high any day now, and it wouldn't surprise me if something drastic happened before the couple is due to appear in court in February.

 

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Donna Carlisle's picture

Not-So-Happy Holidays For Duff's Dad

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Wed, 12/26/2007 - 11:00am
Hilary and Haylie Duff's parents probably won't be spending much of this festive time in one another's company, especially after the latest ruling in their ongoing divorce.

Daddie Duff was ordered to pony up $100,000 to estranged wife Susan for spousal support during the divorce proceedings. He's already been told to pay up another $100,000 for her legal fees, but has yet to do so.

The divorce apparently is due to Bob Duff's wandering eye and momma Duff's unwillingness to tolerate it, and rightfully so. Susan testified that she had been largely supported by her famous progeny over the past five years, and the judge did ask if they would continue to do so. Momma snapped back, stating that she was sure they would but it wasn't up to them to "pay for their father's philandering and divorce."

How awkward must that be? You gotta figure Dad probably wishes he hadn't hurt his financiers either. The two girls have already shown who they support, siding with their mother, though it isn't known if they will testify in the course of the proceedings.

So far the legal costs have been independently tabulated near $1 million, and from the looks of things this one might stretch out till next Christmas.

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Donna Carlisle's picture

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Fri, 12/21/2007 - 11:00am

Well, that's probably not what our favorite divorcing celebs are thinking, and with issues like these, it's no wonder!

First, I reported on Wednesday that David Hasselhoff and his ex Pamela Bach had reached an agreement in regards to their post-split loose ends, including financial matters and custody issues. Today she has released a statement claiming that no agreement was finalized and because the Hoff did not attend the conference, no settlement could be signed. Her publicist stated that once Hasselhoff returns from vacation and attends the next meeting, perhaps then something can be finalized. Apparently the Hoff thought it'd be too much hassle to actually show up and get this out of the way.

Whitney Houston's divorce has hit a standstill due to her hubby's lawyer issues. Seems like this guy can't get along with anyone, huh? According to court papers, "the relationship has deteriorated to such an extent that effective communication is no longer feasible." Want to bet that's the reason the two are splitting up as well?

Kate Hudson revealed that the birth of her son was a turning point in her and ex-hubby Chris Robinson's marriage, and it eventually led to their divorce. She says they are still close, and divorcing him was the most difficult thing she'd ever done in her life. Hudson is grateful to her ex though, and says they were able to help each other through the split. Makes you wonder if they were able to get along so well, why did they split in the first place?

Donna Carlisle's picture

Celebrity Round-Up

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Fri, 12/14/2007 - 11:00am

Just a few days left 'til Christmas! Let's see if the stars are being naughty or nice.

As I reported yesterday, Britney Spears did not show up for her deposition, citing an unspecified illness. Well later that evening, the poptart was spotted leaving the Four Seasons, her favorite nightspot, and was seen driving around till 2 a.m. She ought to know playing sick only works if you're committed to the lie! Well, after hearing about Brit's late night roaming, Kevin Federline's attorney got right to work and is apparently working on banning Britney from requesting anything more than she's already got under court order.

This is the fourth time she's skipped out on the deposition, and he doesn't feel it's fair that she regain any more custody rights without sitting for this interview to determine if she is a fit parent. It's within his power to ask for her to pay the attorneys fees associated with the lost time, and even to request she be held in contempt of court, though it's reported he probably won't take that extra step — at least not yet.

Paul McCartney is apparently itching to hit the road again, but will have to wait until his messy divorce is finalized before making any concrete plans. He's wanting to do a full-scale world tour, but admits much depends on how things shake out in the divorce. His main concern is over custody of his daughter, Beatrice. He says that she is his number one priority, and while he will tour, he will simply have to schedule it a bit more carefully than he has needed to in years' past. There's a reason you don't see many four year old groupies out there.

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Donna Carlisle's picture

When Will She Ever Learn?

Posted by Donna Carlisle on Thu, 12/13/2007 - 11:00am

Our favorite poptart, Britney Spears, is making news yet again, this time for failing to show up for a deposition by her husband's attorney. Of all the days to pick, this one was probably one of the worst to get that rebellious attitude.

It's not her fault though, she claims she has some sort of illness, which according to varying news reports could be anything from extreme anxiety and stress to a simple case of the fakin'-itis. Kevin Federline's attorney plans to make Britney fully aware of the consequences of no-showing for a court-mandated appointment, and plans to pursue a court sanction against her.

Really, K-Fed needs to give his attorney a mega-bonus after all this is over. He isn't giving Brit an inch.

The deposition was reportedly to deal with questions about child custody and spousal support. Of course, Brit's team of lawyers would be there as well to ensure nothing off limits is touched upon. K-Fed's attorney apparently also wanted to ask Spears about past drug use, the trouble she's had in following court orders, and anything related to her being a fit parent.

Once this interview gets kicked off it may not end for days, if all that is open for discussion. Other people close by Spears have already been deposed, including her ex-manager and her former bodyguard. Close friend Alli Sims has also been questioned.

Whatever it is she's thinking, someone needs to tell her if she ever wants her kids back, cooperating with the courts looks way better than ignoring them altogether.

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