Many Canadians hold assets in foreign jurisdictions. When you divorce, those assets may impact the equalization process. The lawyers at...
Many people enjoy celebrity gossip and the window it provides into the lives of the rich and famous. Sometimes, it can also be educational. For example, you can learn a lot about what to do and what not to do when getting divorced from the experience of celebrities.
Musician Robin Thicke and actress Paula Patton shared custody of their two-year-old son when they divorced. Three years later, Patton accused Thicke of child abuse. She requested and received a restraining order. The court restricted Thicke to supervised visitation, and child protective services investigated him.
When no grounds were found for further action, a judge reinstated shared custody in 2017 and ordered both parents to obtain co-parenting instruction and family therapy. As of 2025, they continue to split parenting time roughly equally and share decision-making responsibility.
What you can learn from this celebrity divorce is that you and your co-parent could spare yourselves and your children turmoil by accessing therapy when you decide to live apart. Learning to co-parent before your children become caught in the middle of your disputes is a gift to them, and failing to do so may impact the parent-child relationship forever. Our experienced divorce lawyers could offer advice and recommend co-parenting resources.
A Court of Appeals of Ontario decision in a 2020 case sheds light on how courts assess the contributions of each spouse when determining spousal support. The case involved Robert Herjavec, a successful entrepreneur who has appeared regularly on the American TV series “Shark Tank,” the Canadian series “Dragon’s Den” and “Dancing with the Stars.”
Herjavec divorced his wife of 24 years in 2016. In the early years of their marriage, she supported him through her work as an optometrist. As his businesses became successful, she cut back her work hours and devoted herself to raising their children and managing their households. The family enjoyed a lavish lifestyle that included several homes, a private jet, and an annual income of several million dollars.
After a four-week trial, the judge granted the wife monthly spousal support of $125,000 to continue indefinitely, and the award was upheld by the Court of Appeals of Ontario. The court felt that the wife’s sacrifice of her profession to support her husband’s, combined with the length of their marriage and their standard of living, merited the alimony award. This celebrity case highlights the importance of discussing the factors judges consider when granting spousal support with your divorce lawyer.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt finalized their divorce through a process akin to binding arbitration in 2024, eight years after legal proceedings commenced. Each had vigorously litigated various decisions and appellate court rulings concerning property division and child custody. During their legal battle, all but two of their six children reached legal age, so custody of those children became moot.
Theirs is an extreme example with very high stakes, but the enormous expense, stress and negative publicity this celebrity couple experienced throughout their court battles point to the wisdom of negotiation and compromise. When you are getting a divorce, the sensible path is to set clear priorities. Work with one of our capable divorce lawyers to achieve your primary objectives, and be willing to compromise on the rest.
Divorce can trigger strong feelings, but letting your emotions guide your decision-making tends to be counterproductive. Celebrity breakups can show you what happens when spouses let their egos drive their actions.
Our team is available 24/7 to help you through the process and ensure you keep your focus on your objectives. Working with The Riley Divorce & Family Law Firm may be the best step you can take toward a smooth and speedy divorce.
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