Does Prince’s Estate Still Owe Money For His Second Divorce?

It’s been several months since the unexpected news of American singer-songwriter Prince’s death. The musician, known for his eclectic style, mastery of many instruments and Purple Rain, often considered one of the best rock albums of all time, was found dead in an elevator at his Minnesota estate after overdosing on an opioid known as Fentanyl. The death came less than a week after Prince’s plane made an emergency stop in Moline, Illinois for emergency medical treatment after he was found unconscious.

Does Prince’s Estate Still Owe Attorney Fees For His 2006 Divorce?

The musician recently appeared in the headlines once more as a result of an ongoing dispute regarding his 2006 divorce from second wife Manuela Testolini. According to Prince’s divorce attorney, Patrick Cousins, Prince’s estate owes him nearly $600,000 for attorney fees accrued during the divorce.

Why Would Prince’s Estate Owe Attorney Fees 10 Years After The Divorce Was Finalized?

According to Cousins, he and the late musician were very close friends who had an agreement that Prince would owe Cousins nothing until all of the divorce’s loose ends were tied up. Cousins says that these loose ends were finally resolved on April 1, 20 days before the musician’s untimely death. When asked about what loose ends took 10 years to clear up, Cousins had no comment.

Our Denver family law firm seeks to provide exceptional client experience to divorce couples in Colorado.

Mary J. Blige Divorce Gets Uglier As Husband Withholds Assets

Nine-time Grammy Award winner Mary J. Blige filed for divorce from her husband Martin “Kendu” Isaacs in July this year, citing irreconcilable differences. Ever since, it seems like this rollercoaster of a divorce has gone to deeper and deeper depths. The divorce started with a bang, as Isaacs was not only Blige’s husband, but also her manager, a business relationship that was promptly severed by the divorce.

In September, TMZ reported contention between the two regarding the prenuptial agreement that they signed. Blige’s attorney asked the judge presiding over their case to rule on the validity of the prenup, which Isaac’s attorney called “invalid, unenforceable and unconscionable.”

In November, it was revealed that Isaacs was requesting quite the sum of money from Blige: nearly $130,000 per month in spousal support, $100,000 for attorney fees and $30,000 in forensic accountant fees, which he argues is necessary due to Blige cutting off his access to their joint business and personal accounts.

Where Are They Now?

In mid-December, Blige filed new documents accusing Isaacs of withholding significant assets from her. Among them: a Range Rover that Isaacs was supposed to return in February, a Mercedes C300 that Blige wants (while allowing Isaacs to keep the other Mercedes) and ”“ yes ”“ one of Blige’s Grammy Awards. Blige has also accused Isaacs of stealing $420,000 from her, which he allegedly spent on “business expenses” that had absolutely nothing to do with her business.

Denver divorce lawyers serving clients in matters of family law throughout Colorado.

What’s Going On With Johnny Depp & Amber Heard’s Divorce Settlement?

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have been engaged in a heated divorce for the last few months. Recently, tensions flared regarding the divorce settlement, in which Depp was ordered to pay Heard $7 million that she pledged to donate to the ACLU and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Depp reportedly began making the donations to the two organizations himself instead of paying it to Heard. Heard’s representatives objected to this move, claiming that Depp was robbing Heard of tax benefits that she would have received if she donated the money.

It’s been months since Heard pledged to donate the settlement. Why hasn’t it happened yet? Are Depp and Heard still fighting over it?

It’s coming ”“ the divorce just hasn’t been finalized yet. Both the ACLU and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles have already received $200,000 each from Depp, and the ACLU has already received an advance of $350,000 from Heard. The remaining fortune will be released to Heard within the next year. Heard plans to have the settlement donated by the end of 2018.

Violating A Divorce Settlement

Divorce settlements are legally binding, and violation of a settlement can lead to court penalties. This is called being held in contempt. Violations like Depp’s pledge to give the settlement to charity instead of Heard could lead to contempt, but there are many other violations, such as failure to pay child support or withholding visitation, that can lead to contempt.

Contempt can result in both civil and criminal penalties, including fines, paying the other party’s legal fees, compensatory custody time and even jail.

If your ex-spouse has violated your divorce decree, a Colorado family law attorney can help you enforce the decree in court.

A Year In Celebrity Divorce: 2016 Recap

What a ride 2016 has been in the world of celebrity divorce. Here’s a recap of the Year that Celebrity Love Died.

  • Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin. The actress and Coldplay frontman were married in 2002 and lasted 11 years before Gwyneth announced her “conscious uncoupling” from her husband. The two remained good friends and continued to spend time together. The divorce was announced in 2014, but was only finalized this year.
  • Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom. This divorce was tumultuous, even as far as celebrity divorces go. After the two filed, Odom was found unconscious in Nevada and hospitalized for emergency treatment. Kardashian and Odom called off their divorce in the wake of Odom’s health scare, but announced in May that they were, indeed, going to divorce.
  • Frances Bean Cobain and Isaiah Silva. The couple married in 2014 and filed for divorce in 2016. The two have been engaged in a vicious battle over a guitar that belonged to Cobain’s father, Kurt, for several months.
  • Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman. The couple married in 2012 and released a joint statement declaring their divorce intentions in 2016. The divorce appears amicable, and both parents are still actively involved with their two children.
  • Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. The two married in 2015 and made it just over a year before domestic abuse allegations led to their divorce. In a particularly spiteful move over Heard’s divorce settlement, which she intended to donate to charity, Depp decided to skip the middleman and donate the settlement for her. For that, many accused him of using this shady tactic to obtain tax benefits for himself.
  • Perhaps the biggest celebrity divorce bombshell of the year, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. It is said that Angelina decided to split from Brad due to disagreements over the way he parented their six children. The custody battle is still ongoing.

It has been a rough year for celebrity love. As 2016 comes to a close, we look forward to a new day, one we hope is a little less tumultuous for Hollywood lovers.

Our Denver divorce attorneys help Colorado families through matters of marriage, divorce, custody and more.

Learn From Their Mistakes: How These Famous People Lost So Much In Divorce

It’s important to plan ahead when entering a marriage, especially if you have significant assets, such as property or money, that you are bringing into the marriage. You should consider a prenuptial agreement to ensure that you retain the rights to certain property, or, if you are already married, you can consider a postnuptial agreement. However, everyone makes mistakes ”“ even those with the most to lose. Learn from the mistakes of these famous people to ensure that you don’t lose it all in divorce.

The Importance Of Preparation For Your Divorce

  • Kelsey and Camille Grammer. Kelsey Grammer was the highest paid actor on television during the 11-year run of “Frasier,” earning $1.6 million per episode toward the end. Shockingly, he did not sign a prenup with Camille. During the divorce, he requested that some of his earnings be declared separate property. His request was granted for the money earned during the first four seasons of “Frasier.” The rest was split 50/50. Kelsey should’ve known better ”“ it was his third divorce.
  • Mel and Robyn Gibson. Mel Gibson’s divorce from Robyn slashed his estimated worth in half due to California law. Because he had no prenup, Robyn made a cool $450 million.
  • Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold. Interestingly enough, Roseanne actually fired her attorney for suggesting the couple get a prenup. Tom Arnold walked away four years later with $50 million.
  • Craig and Wendy McCaw. Craig was a billionaire thanks to a successful communications company. When he and Wendy decided to divorce, he claimed that his $1.3 billion was mostly his separate property, because it was generated through investments he’d made with his family members. Washington state, at the time, was a community property state ”“ so Wendy made off with $460 million, making her one of the 400 most wealthy people in the United States at the time.

The moral of these stories? First, always consider a prenup. Second, know whether your state is a community property or equitable division state when thinking about marriage (we got you, Coloradans ”“ we’re equitable division here).

Our Denver divorce firm can assist prospective married couples in the drafting of prenuptial agreements for the preservation of assets.

McDreamy Calls It Off: Patrick & Jillian Are Staying Together

It’s been nearly two years since we mentioned the Patrick Dempsey/Jillian Fink divorce, when we talked about the benefits of mediation and how it could help ease the split. Well, it appears we spoke nearly two years too soon ”“ mediation won’t be a factor, because Fink called off the divorce. The papers were dismissed in early November.

The couple originally filed for divorce in January 2015, citing irreconcilable differences. And, while they may not have gone through the legal process of mediation, it certainly sounds like they did some mediation of their own to fight through whatever differences were causing the rift in their marriage. Just ask Patrick:

“Our marriage was not something I was prepared to let go of,” the Grey’s Anatomy star, popularly known as McDreamy, told People Magazine. “I didn’t feel like we had done all the work. And we both wanted to do that work. That’s where it started.”

How Mediation Can Keep Divorce Civil

Mediation is one method that couples can use to get through the divorce process without too many battle scars. Through the use of a neutral mediator, you and your spouse can work through issues in a manner meant to create a fair, balanced outcome. Mediation can help introduce an air of civility to divorce, which can often become contentious. Keeping interactions positive with your spouse can go a long way, especially if there are significant financial issues or children involved in a divorce.

Our Denver family law firm employs skilled mediators who can help facilitate a smooth divorce for your and your spouse.

After 13 Years Of Marriage, Slash Claims It Was All Fake

Almost two years ago, guitarist Slash of Guns N’ Roses fame filed for divorce from his wife, Perla Hudson. The two have been married since October of 2001 ”“ or have they?

In a recent revelation, Slash has attempted to convince the judge overseeing their divorce that Hudson is not entitled to a dime of his substantial fortune because the two were never actually legally married. His logic: Hudson was married to a man named Carlos Marty back in 1993, in a marriage that lasted only a month. The two filed for divorce, but apparently, a final judgment was never issued, meaning that Hudson and Marty’s marriage, technically, still exists. That means that Hudson could not have legally married Slash in 2001 ”“ he has called her a bigamist and now wants to withhold all his assets from her.

The question remains: will Slash get away with withholding all his fortune?

Putative Spouses in Colorado

In Colorado (and elsewhere throughout the country), there is an understanding of something called putative spouses. A putative spouse is any person who has cohabitated with another person, to whom he or she is not legally married, but in good faith belief that he or she was married to that person. These cases are rare, but do happen.

Putative spouses have all the rights of legal spouses, including spousal support, child support and property division rights. This means that Hudson may still be able to receive her share of the marital assets from Slash.

If you are engaged in disputes about the validity of a marriage, whether due to a putative spouse situation, common law marriage or other circumstances, our Denver family lawyers can help.

Kate Beckinsale Divorce: Does Len Wiseman Have Any Rights Over His Stepdaughter?

It’s official: Kate Beckinsale and Len Wiseman are getting divorced. After a plague of rumors over the last few months, during which both parties were photographed without their wedding rings, director Wiseman officially filed for divorce. Neither is seeking spousal support and it is believed that the two have a prenuptial agreement.

While Wiseman and Beckinsale have no children together, Beckinsale does have a 17-year-old daughter from a previous marriage. This brings up an interesting question ”“ does Wiseman have any parental rights over his stepdaughter?

Colorado Stepparent Custody & Visitation

While we can’t speak for other states with different laws, if Beckinsale and Wiseman were Colorado residents, Wiseman would have certain rights over his stepdaughter, though those rights would be much less powerful than Beckinsale’s.

Given the high rate of divorce in this country, many children have stepparents. A stepparent in Colorado may assert custody of a child if he or she has been one of the child’s primary caretakers for six months. Additionally, courts are able to grant visitation for stepparents who have acted in the place of a parent.

Stepparents have an easier time obtaining visitation rights than they do custody rights over stepchildren. It all hinges on the court’s interpretation of what would be in the best interests of the child. If the stepparent was an active participant in the child’s life, has been an active participant for a decent length of time and it would be a detriment to the child for the stepparent to be removed from the child’s life, the courts will likely grant some rights to the stepparent.

Ask a Denver family law attorney about your rights as a stepparent in divorce.

We’re All Celebrities: What Has Social Media Done To Divorce Cases?

The celebrity divorce is the quintessential aisle dressing of shopping centers across America. It seems like every day there’s a new cover story alleging an upcoming celebrity divorce (and sometimes they’re right. Sometimes). And we eat it up! Why is it that celebrity divorces are so popular? And is social media making the average person’s divorce more like a celebrity divorce?

Social Media, Divorce & The Court Of Public Opinion

What separates the average divorce from a celebrity divorce is that celebrity divorces are often these public spectacles that everyone wants a piece of. Some celebrities will use sites like Facebook or Twitter or even YouTube to tell their side of their story, hoping to garner sympathy and, in some contentious cases, turn the public opinion against their spouse.

Nowadays, social media has allowed the average divorcee to use social media for the same purposes ”“ to air their exes’ dirty laundry in hopes of gathering support or sympathy or even tangible things like property or child custody. It can be as simple as emailing their estranged partner’s family to allege infidelity, or something as far-reaching as posting a picture of the partner’s new boat as a way of spiting the partner for lying about assets.

We understand that divorce is an intensely personal, emotional process and that recovery takes a long time. But it should also be a private process. There’s nothing wrong with discussing your divorce with close friends or family members, but putting it out there on social media can often lead to disastrous consequences. Know that in your divorce, all of these electronic records are going to be used by both yours and your former partner’s attorneys in order to come up with asset division plans and parenting schedules. Keep your divorce out of your friends’ Facebook feeds, or it might come back to haunt you.

Our Denver family lawyers use thorough electronic discovery methods in order to ensure that you receive your fair share in divorce.

What Can We Learn From The Brangelina Divorce?

Location is very important in divorce. Because state laws regarding things like property division vary widely throughout the United States, choosing where to file for divorce is important. Is your state an equitable division state or a community property state? Do both spouses live in different states? What about the kids? What happens to property in states that neither party resides in?

The Brangelina divorce demonstrates some of the complexities of location in divorce. The two own quite a few properties all over the world. From their multimillion dollar compound in Los Angeles to their New Orleans French Quarter mansion to their southern France chateau, the couple needed to make an important decision: where do we file for divorce, and why?

Jurisdictional Differences In The United States

In community property states, assets earned or acquired during a marriage are understood to be equally owned and are divided as such. Even if one spouse is unemployed, that spouse is still entitled to half of the marital assets. In equitable division states, the courts determine what property is marital and which is separate, tally up the marital property and negotiate an equitable, but not necessarily equal, division. Colorado is an equitable division state. Depending on the nature of your finances and assets, choosing between an equitable division state and a community property state can drastically affect your divorce settlement.

If you own property in Colorado and another state and are filing for divorce, another question you need to ask is: do you fulfill the residency requirement for the state to file for divorce? For example, in Colorado, one spouse must be a legal resident of Colorado for 90 days before a divorce can be filed. You are allowed to file for divorce anywhere that you and your spouse meet residency requirements. You can use this information strategically, even for property in other states, because often the rules of the state where the divorce is filed take precedence over the rules of other states.

One last thing you should look at is spousal support laws (also known as maintenance or alimony, depending on where you’re from). If you intend to collect spousal support, look into the laws in Colorado and the other states where you meet residency requirements to determine if the laws for maintenance might be favorable if you file for divorce somewhere else.

Our Colorado family law firm can assist you in matters of property division regarding properties both in and outside of Colorado.