Just because you have all the money in the world does not mean that you’re guaranteed your way during a California child custody battle.
Consider, for instance, the notoriously acrimonious battle between ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney, and his ex-spouse, Heather Mills, over their child, Beatrice. When the couple divorced several years ago, Mills received nearly $50 million ($33 million in cash plus $15.6 million in assets) from the “Yesterday” songwriter. The British Court also granted Mills and McCartney joint custody of Beatrice – who at that time was 4 years old. The court also promised Mills $70,000 a year in “periodical payments” for child support.
Given the scope and scale of the legal brouhaha surrounding the separation, it’s not surprising that the dispute attracted two of England’s most well-known attorneys. (The same lawyers represented Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their 1996 divorce.)
The Mills-McCartney split gave rise to a few twists that the tabloids gobbled up. For instance, in what the local papers labeled “Breastgate,” McCartney filed a document in court asking for “joint custodial oversight” of his ex-wife’s breasts… as well as a “generous, unsupervised visitation schedule.”
(Mills’ lawyer seemed less than amused by “Sir Paul’s” request. He responded: “in consideration of my client’s allegations of physical abuse, she would have to be out of her mind to allow her breast to spend alone time with her estranged husband.”)
Your own California divorce may be less high stakes than the Mills-McCartney split, at least dollar wise. But odds are that it’s similar in terms of the emotional stakes. Get seasoned help today by connecting with our legal team.