Jennifer Lopez made a daring — and certain strategic — transfer when she filed for divorce from Ben Affleck with out utilizing a lawyer.
“She in all probability is sending a message that there’s not going to be a combat,” celeb divorce legal professional Chris Melcher solely instructed Us Weekly on Wednesday, August 21, of Lopez’s determination.
Melcher, who’s a accomplice with the California authorized agency Walzer Melcher & Yoda and isn’t concerned within the case, revealed it was the “first time” he’s seen a “excessive profile individual” like Lopez, 55, file for divorce and never checklist an legal professional of report.
“I consider that that is intentional to ship a message that this won’t be a combat,” he reiterated, noting that in California divorce proceedings are public report, so if Lopez and Affleck, 55, do find yourself in a prolonged court docket battle, it might be thrust into the highlight.
Melcher instructed that it might be “poisonous to their model in the event that they have been to combat in court docket,” which is why the lawyer believes that Lopez and Affleck would have already “labored out most of those points earlier than going public with the submitting.”
“This may very well be step one that we’re seeing as the general public, [but it] may truly be one of many last phases of their divorce settlement,” he continued, explaining that though Lopez filed with out authorized help, she probably had assist from an legal professional alongside the way in which.
Lopez and Affleck wed in July 2022 after rekindling their romance one 12 months prior. The pair have been beforehand engaged within the early 2000s earlier than getting married to different individuals and welcoming youngsters. (Lopez shares twins Max and Emme, 16, with ex-husband Marc Anthony. Affleck, in the meantime, shares Violet, 18, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12, with ex-wife Jennifer Garner.)
Earlier this 12 months, Affleck and Lopez sparked cut up hypothesis after eagle-eyed followers observed they hadn’t been seen collectively in 47 days. Us confirmed in Could that Affleck had moved out of their joint Beverly Hills mansion. Affleck later bought a brand new home in Los Angeles with out Lopez and the duo didn’t rejoice their anniversary collectively final month.
Us confirmed on Tuesday, August 20, that Lopez filed for divorce in Los Angeles, handing the paperwork in herself as an alternative of utilizing counsel as is the standard strategy.
Whereas Lopez listed the date of separation as April 26, she waited till the two-year anniversary of her and Affleck’s Georgia marriage ceremony to file. (The singer and the actor quietly wed in Las Vegas in July 2022 earlier than throwing a bigger marriage ceremony for family and friends in August 2022.)
“The timing of the divorce was a giant f—okay you to Ben,” a supply solely instructed Us after Lopez selected to sever ties with Affleck.
Melcher, nonetheless, instructed Us on Wednesday that Lopez submitting first doesn’t give her a lot of a bonus within the divorce. The “slight” leg up she acquired can be pegged to the “management of the velocity of the case.”
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are formally divorcing however their skilled lives will stay entwined. Lopez, 55, is starring within the upcoming movie Unstoppable, an Amazon MGM Studios mission produced by Affleck’s manufacturing firm, Artists Fairness. Filming on Unstoppable wrapped in January however the film, directed by William Goldenberg who beforehand labored as an editor […]
The lawyer defined that if there have been a trial, Lopez would get to talk first since she filed earlier than Affleck. “The true good thing about submitting first is to attempt to take the initiative and make it appear to be Jennifer’s the one who’s deciding to finish the wedding,” Melcher continued. “However virtually talking, there can solely be one petitioner and one respondent. So there isn’t any such factor as a co submitting of divorce.”
Melcher famous that within the case of Lopez vs. Affleck, “The attorneys and the accountants can be within the background to help the occasion in resolving all the pieces, and the ultimate step is submitting for a divorce in these conditions, as a result of solely a decide can terminate the advantage.”
He surmised that the actors “in all probability already agreed on the division of briefing that they’ve, and we’ll see them present up someday down the highway with an agreed judgment of divorce.”
With reporting by Sarah Jones
