Shaq Divorce Settles 0
Basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal and his estranged wife, Shaunie O’Neal, have reportedly settled their divorce. Shaunie’s divorce attorney, Sorrell Trope, says that the former couple has reached an agreement on all aspects of the split – division of property, child custody and child support.
Under the agreement, the Florida courts actually divorce the couple, who lived together in Miami for several years before their split several months ago. The Florida judge will also handle any issues that may arise involving property division and spousal support.
The California courts though will have jurisdiction over any issues related to child custody.
Shaunie filed for legal separation in California back in November, 2009, just a few days after moving to Los Angeles with the couple’s four kids. Shaq then filed a motion to preclude the case from being heard in California.
Divorces, like other lawsuits, must comply with the jurisdictional requirements of the state and county in which they are filed – or face dismissal. There is generally a residency requirement which at least one party must meet before any state’s court can issue a valid judgment of dissolution. In California, that requirement is six months.
Separate from the divorce jurisdictional requirements, parents must also show the court that it has proper jurisdiction to make an initial determination of child custody under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. It appears that, because Shaunie intends to reside with the children in California, the parties agreed that custody matters would be retained there.
The O’Neals married in L.A. in December, 2002. Three of their four children were born in California. The family lived in Florida from 2004 until last November. Shaq currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers but the family apparently never moved to Cleveland.
Shaq previously filed for divorce from Shaunie in Miami back in 2007, but the two reconciled and that case was dismissed last year.
Sorrell Trope of the law firm Trope and Trope has handled countless celebrity divorces and family law matters, including those of Nicolas Cage, Anna Nicole Smith, Nicole Kidman and Britney Spears.
Library Topics: divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, division of property, divorce attorney, settlement agreement, spousal support, Florida family law, California family law
Also See: