Gwen Stefani is citing “irreconcilable differences” as her reason for divorcing husband Gavin Rossdale.
Divorce for Stefani and Rossdale
“While the two of us have come to the mutual decision that we will no longer be partners in marriage, we remain partners in parenthood and are committed to jointly raising our three sons in a happy and healthy environment,” the couple said in a joint statement. “To that end, we respectfully request privacy from the media during this time.”
After touring together, Stefani, 45, and Rossdale, 49, were married in 2002. The No Doubt lead singer and Bush front-man have been rock royalty ever since the late 90’s.
According to the tabloids, the two have spent some time apart recently. Stefani recently posted pics to her Instagram showing her and her sons on a mini getaway in Montana. It was unclear if Rossdale joined the family for the vacation, as his Instagram suggested he was in London. But even just last year Rossdale took on tabloids that reported that the couple was headed for divorce, denouncing the rumors as a “load of bulls–t.”
“I’m pretty dry and I’ve got a decent sense of humor, so [reporters] say to me, ‘You’re doing this, you’ve got a new record…’How do you guys find time for each other?'” he said while appearing on The Howard Stern Show. “And I said, ‘We don’t, that’s why we’ve been together so long.’ I was f–king around, that’s funny to me. Where I’m from, that’s funny. And it was funny, for about a week, and then it’s like, ‘oh…interesting.’ So it’s just me and my big mouth.”
And just a few months ago in Cosmopolitan‘s March issue, Stefani said “I never really saw myself landing a guy that hot. I don’t know if I was a nerd in high school, but I definitely wasn’t the super-cute cheerleader so I never saw myself getting somebody like that.”
When speaking of her marriage and what made it work, she said “We go through so much together—it’s a miracle that we could stay together this long.”
She went on to say, “[Gavin’s] on a short tour right now, and he wrote me the sweetest note this morning. It’s good to have those days when we both do our own things. I think that’s what keeps relationships going, when both people can be themselves and have their own individuality.
“That’s especially important for women,” she added. “It’s hard to find time for yourself.”
Stefani cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split in her divorce filing. Rossdale filed his response at the same time.
Irreconcilable Differences
Irreconcilable differences means you and your spouse are not able to agree on basic, fundamental issues involving the marriage or your family, and you never will agree. While there is no set rule, the following are reasons for why a couple might decide to file:
- Conflict of personalities
- Emotional needs are not being met
- The marriage is suffering from financial difficulties
- Long physical separation
- Difference in interests
- Resentment
- Distrust
- Constant bickering
- Irreversible antagonistic feelings
If you are experiencing any of these feelings and are unable to work things out with your spouse, you may consider divorce. Working with a lawyer is the first step to determining how you should file for divorce. California is a no-fault state, which means that you cannot blame your spouse for the end of the marriage, even if it is ending because of infidelity. You will want to work with a lawyer to determine your state-specific laws, though most states have “no-fault” options, such as irreconcilable difference.
Joint Custody
The couple shares three sons: 9-year-old Kingston, 6-year-old Zuma and 1-year-old Apollo. According to court documents, both Stefani and Rossdale have sought joint custody.
There are various situations that fall under the umbrella of “joint child custody.”
What is “Joint Child Custody”?
“Joint Child Custody” means that parents who do not live together still share decision-making responsibilities for, and/or physical control and custody of, the children they have together. This form of custody is able to be awarded to parents that are divorced, separated, no longer living together, and even if they have never lived together. Joint child custody is also the form of custody that is favored by the courts.
Joint Child Custody Arrangements
Joint Child Custody can take various forms, such as:
joint legal custody – where the parents share the decision-making responsibilities.
joint physical custody – where children spend time with each parent separately.
joint legal and physical custody – a combination of the above.
Joint Child Custody – Advantages and Disadvantages
There are advantages and disadvantages to joint child custody. While it ensures children continue contact with both parents, children still need to be shuttled from one parent to the other. This can be a difficult situation for non-cooperative parents, and thus can be a hard situation for children stuck in the middle. Regardless of if parents are cooperative or non-cooperative, it’s crucial that all financial records of groceries, finances associated with a child’s after school activities, medical care, and clothing are kept. In cases where parents argue about these things, a judge will appreciate finely detailed records. If parents can maintain a positive parenting schedule and approach, and keep the child’s best interests in mind, joint custody can be a positive and comforting experience for a child.
Spousal Support
According to court documents, Stefani checked the box to terminate Rossdale’s ability for spousal support.
If you are getting divorced, and are seeking spousal support, or are expected to pay spousal support payments, there are some important things you’ll want to understand. A family law attorney will be able to walk you through the specifics of your case, but here we’ll provide you with a general overview of aspects of spousal support including: the awarding of spousal support, tax laws, and what can happen if spousal support payments are not made.
Defining Spousal Support
Spousal support (also known as alimony) is financial assistance that is only available to those who were legally married. It recognizes a partner’s contribution to the marriage and its goal is to help the recipient achieve financial independence. Rules regarding alimony vary state by state.
Calculating Spousal Support
When a court presides over a spousal support hearing, it weighs a number of factors including: the length of the marriage, the needs of each spouse, the standard of living that was created and maintained during the marriage, any assets, the age of the spouses, numerous other factors, and state specific laws. Your divorce attorney will build your case for spousal support based on your own specific circumstances.
Length of Spousal Support
The duration of spousal support payments is set by the court after it weighs the arguments that have been made. Typically, the length of payments lasts for half the length of a less than 10 years long marriage. For example: a marriage of six years means the spousal support payments will need to be paid for three years.
In longer marriages, a court might not set an a duration for the alimony payments. In that case, it is up to your divorce attorney to prove your side of the case and the duration. You should work with your divorce attorney to establish your side, regardless of if you are paying or receiving payments, and also determine the amount of time you seek. The court will then listen to both arguments, and using common law, decide upon the duration.
Permanent or Lifetime Spousal Support
“Permanent” or “Lifetime” spousal support means support will be paid to the recipient until the death of the one paying, or sometimes until the recipient remarries. While remarriage has been a reason for the end of spousal support payments, that is not always the case, and sometimes a court will rule that a remarriage does not mean the end of the support payments.
As women became a stronger component of the workforce, permanent support began to be rewarded less and less. And now courts rarely award permanent support. One appellate court stated:
“As recognized by our Supreme Court, the public policy of this state has progressed from one which entitled some women to lifelong alimony as a condition of the marital contract of support, to one that entitles either spouse to post-dissolution support for only so long as is necessary to become self-supporting.”
A court will usually require the higher earner, regardless of if they are husband or wife, to assist the lower earner with maintaining the standard of living, at least for a period of time.
Changes in Financial Situation
The duration of spousal support payments can also be dependent on if the spouse receiving the support has a change in their financial standing (as the result of beginning a new job or higher pay). The purpose of spousal support is to ensure financial safeguards for the person receiving them. Therefore, if they no longer need to receive money to help them maintain financial footing, then a court can rule that they are able to support themselves and no longer need the support they have been receiving.
A Family Law Attorney
When it comes to the actual legal process of a divorce, you’ll want to work with a skilled family law attorney. There are a number of things that need to be considered during a divorce: child support, spousal support, marital property division, and other things. Working with a skilled attorney can help ensure you get a fair case. For advice on divorce, child custody determinations, setting up a co-parenting agreement, dividing marital property, and spousal support you need the expert law firm of Divorce Law LA. Schedule a consultation today.
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