Settlement achieved

It has been reported all over the news the Katherine Jackson, mother of the late Michael Jackson, and Debbie Rowe, mother of 2 of Michael Jackson’s 3 minor children, have reached an agreement regarding custody of Prince Michael I and Paris. The children will remain in the custody of their grandmother Katherine. With the assistance of a child psychologist to be paid for by Mrs. Jackson and Miss Rowe, the two older children will gradually be reintroduced to their biological mother. Arrangements whereby children are reintroduced over a period of time to a biological parent with the assistance of a mental health professional are not uncommon. The children will learn over time who this person is who (their biological mother). Eventually, they may spend time with her outside a therapeutic setting. The important thing to keep in mind is that, in most instances, including this one, the mental health professional is there not because the parent is a danger to the children, but because the children have had little to no dealings with this person for quite a long time. I suspect that these children will also need to get adjusted to something closer to a normal childhood – no more 3 am trips to the toy store.

She’s getting how much in support!?!

It has been reported by E! Online that singer Nas (Nasir Jones) has been ordered by a Judge in California to pay support to his estranged wife Kelis Rogers almost $40,000 per month for the support of Kelis and their new born son Knight Jones.

Sorry may be the hardest word

According to this article on the internet, R&B artist Chris Brown has publicly apologized for the incident with his girlfriend Rihanna that landed her in the hospital.

What’s in a name?

Yahoo news reported in this article that two people with the same name (opposite genders) meet on Facebook and have plans to get married. Obviously Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt need not worry about changing her name after she marries Kelly Carl Hildebrandt.

Possible Implications of Jon “Moving On”

ABC News (by way of Good Morning America) reported that in an upcoming People magazine article, Jon Gosselin, of Jon & Kate + 8 fame, talks about the fact that he is “moving on” with his new girlfriend, Hailey Glassman, less than 3 weeks after it was publicly announced that Jon and Kate were divorcing. According to the GMA interview with a People magazine representative, the article will show photos of Jon and Hailey enjoying themselves on the French Riviera.

When newly separated spouses start dating other people, whether in the media or not, there may be some ramifications in a Pennsylvania divorce case.

The Jackson Custody matter continues

According to this Time magazine article. the father of late pop icon Michael Jackson, Joe Jackson, may be throwing his hat in the custody battle for Prince, Prince II and Paris. It is not uncommon for grandparents to seek custody of children when a parent has died. In fact some states have statutes that allow for grandparents to seek custody rights (Pennsylvania does). The twist in all this is the reported statement that Joe Jackson and his wife Katherine are estranged.

If Joe and Katherine Jackson are not living together, it may be difficult for a court to decide that they be given custody of the children. Will they be presenting a united front representing that they are living together in a happy marriage? Will Joe’s claim be opposed by Katherine? Only time will tell as this case develops.

Subtle message?

I was reading this Time magazine article online about the current situation of the “American Marriage” in light of the recent news stories of politicians cheating on their wives. Interspersed in the article and at side bar were links to other-related topics. There were three different links to connect the reader to videos concerning gay marriage. Are the editors to Time magazine or the moderator of its web page adding some additional commentary regarding the future of American marriage?

Is it really over? Why the date of separation matters

It was reported not that long ago on E! Online that the possibly estranged wife of R&B artist Usher did not think that her marriage was over. Supposedly, in response to a divorce action started by Usher, Tameka Raymond filed papers with the Court indicating she and Usher had not been separated for almost 1 year. The original E! Online article can be found here.

The determination of the separation date is important in a Pennsylvania divorce action for two reasons. First, it can be the basis of the entry of the divorce decree itself. A person can be divorced in Pennsylvania if the two spouses have been separated for at least two years and if their marriage is irretrievably broken. Clearly, if a husband says that he and his wife have been separated for 2 years and the wife disagrees, this is an issue that a court may need to resolve before a divorce decree can be entered.

Pick a venue, any venue

The media tends to be drawn to relationships. News reports, magazine, internet blogs and television programs frequently highlight relationships – celebrity or otherwise. Who is dating whom, who is sleeping with whom and who is marrying whom are questions answered by the media on a regular basis. The media and, therefore, the American public is also captivated by the demise of such relationships. In one small way, this is true of reality television couple Jon and Kate Gosellin of Jon and Kate +8 fame.

How fast is “fast”?

I have come across many an advertisement and many an attorney claiming to obtain a fast divorce decree for parties. As one would imagine, “fast” is a relative term. Driving 45 miles an hour is not considered fast on a highway, but it’s fast for a school zone. Some legal matters can have a hearing scheduled within days of filing; other cases take years. So, how long does it take to get a divorce in Pennsylvania? How many months, weeks or even years, does it take from the date a divorce action is started until the entry of the final divorce decree? To answer these question intelligently, there are some of the factors to consider: