Like most Minnesota residents, you probably follow celebrity news from time to time. There never seems to be a shortage of shocking or exciting headlines regarding the current super stars of stage and screen. Then again, it’s what most people expect when it comes to Hollywood entertainment, right? Some of your favorite stars might be among those who are going through or have recently resolved contentious divorce or child custody issues.
If you ever wind up in family law court, you’ll likely want to avoid similar problems like the plague, as many celebrities have lost thousands of dollars and months of their time locked in fierce court battles over property division or child custody and support disagreements. Reading up on some of the most acrimonious battles may help you steer clear of similar problems in your own life.
The Gosselins are still at it
Jon and Kate Gosselin rose to the top of the charts when they starred in their own reality TV show. It all ended with a nasty divorce and an even nastier child custody battle. Like most Minnesota parents, you want what is best for your kids, especially if you and your spouse were ever to divorce.
While you might think it obvious that taking your child to the dentist shouldn’t pose a major, divorce-related battle, what might have been an uneventful dental appointment for the Gosselins’ daughter wound up involving police, who were dispatched to the scene to handle a parental altercation. Jon Gosselin claimed that his ex was brainwashing her children against him.
Can breastfeeding be a tool for revenge?
Breastfeeding parents will want to make note of the legal problems Nicole Curtis encountered regarding her child and the child’s father, Shane Maguire, who accused Curtis of breastfeeding on purpose to keep him from spending time with his son. A judge ultimately ruled that the Curtis must allow Maguire to make up all the lost time.
This former romantic couple has other problems, as well, such as the fact that Maguire reportedly moved to Curtis’s resident state to be closer to his son, only to have her relocate the child to another state. A parent who questions a co-parent’s right to relocate a child may seek the court’s intervention to resolve a problem situation.
Accusations and counter-allegations
When a parent claims a co-parent unfit, the court must investigate to determine whether there is merit to the accusation. Sometimes, there is; other times, the court determines that someone drummed up false accusations to try to beat the system. Such cases can get quite nasty, as made evident by former Spice Girl singer Mel B’s battle for custody with her ex, Stephen Belafonte.
Mel B accused Belafonte of physical abuse. He then launched counter-allegations against his former wife of 10 years, accusing her of having a substance abuse problem. The negative accusations didn’t end there. Mel B also told the court that Belafonte forced her children to view videos of beheadings, supposedly committed by the militant organization ISIS.
Avoid similar problems
Like many Minnesota residents, you may occasionally dream about what it would be like to be a celebrity. After reading about the emotional and financial stress many celebrities have experienced in divorce or child custody-related situations, you might decide to put your dreams of stardom on the back burner. The fact is that you can avoid many such legal problems or, at least, swiftly overcome them by relying on experienced legal support in court.