Last April, singer Kelis filed for divorce from her husband, rapper Nas. She was about seven months pregnant with the couple’s first child at the time. That child, a son named Knight, was born in last July.

With the assistance of her divorce attorney Laura Wasser, Kelis was awarded $55,000 a month in temporary spousal support and child support. The parties were back in court this week, where Kelis complained that Nas was behind on his support payments. The judge ultimately agreed.

According to documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Nas was required to immediately pay $47,249.42 in back child support and $40,454 in back spousal support. He then must pay an additional $10,000 a month in spousal support until he pays off the $299,015.50 he owes Kelis.

Nas was also ordered to pay 90% of Kelis’ legal fees in the amount of $155,787.28 and almost $50,000 in accounting expenses. (Court orders requiring one side to pay the other’s attorneys’ fees and/or expert witness fees are not uncommon, especially in situations where the earning capacity of the parties is substantially different.)

The final child support and spousal support figures could vary substantially from these temporary awards. Although the parties have presumably disclosed an enormous amount of financial information to one another in the course of the divorce case and the court has a good idea of actual income of the parties, a final order could differ from the temporary order. A permanent spousal support order may very well have a limited duration. Both permanent child and spousal support orders could take into account any income-generating property awarded to Kelis in the divorce in determining an amount.

Library Topics: divorce, child support, spousal support, child support enforcement

Also See:

• Kelis and Nas Divorcing
  
• Kelis Seeks Temporary Support from Nas in Divorce Case
• Nas to Pay Kelis $55,000 a Month in Temporary Support