News first surfaced a few weeks ago that musician John Mellencamp and his wife Elaine Irwin had separated after 18 years of marriage. That announcement was quickly followed by news that Mellencamp was dating actress Meg Ryan. The two have been seen together on numerous occasions over the past several weeks.
This week, Mellencamp filed for divorce in Brown County, Indiana. Irwin and Mellencamp live in Bloomington, Indiana with their two teenage kids. According to the filing, the couple has been separated since approximately September 1, 2010. They were married on September 5, 1992.
The petition for dissolution of marriage (which you can see here on RadarOnline) indicates that the couple has a valid and enforceable prenuptial agreement to govern the distribution of property. It also indicates that Irwin would like her maiden name restored to her (she apparently went by Elaine Mellencamp during the marriage but will be changing her name back to Elaine Irwin).
The petition also notes that the couple intends to submit a Confidential Child and Property Settlement Agreement to the court for review and approval. They are not requesting a hearing and apparently intend to have the entire matter settled, asking the court to enter its Summary Degree without the necessity of court appearances.
The Mellencamps met in 1991 when she modeled for the cover of one of his albums. They married the following year.
Library Topics: divorce, petition for dissolution, prenuptial agreement, distribution of property, changing name after divorce, settlement agreement