A Celebrity Divorce Dictionary – What the Celebrity Magazines Really Mean?

Ever read an article from a celebrity magazine or paper and wonder what all that legal jargon means? The following definitions explain many of the terms often used by reporters to describe celebrity divorce.

Divorce Paperwork – TMZ reported that Charlie Sheen and wife, Brooke Mueller, have not “lawyered up” for a divorce, but the couple has gotten paperwork together in case they decide to file.  Divorce paperwork refers to a “petition,” plus other necessary documents needed by the court to initiate a divorce. It’s possible the term also refers to copies of prenuptial agreements, financial records, etc. that will help both sides determine how to divide marital property.

Estranged Spouse – The LA Times reported that Dwayne Wade’s estranged wife, Siohvaughn Wade, filed a lawsuit against Dwayne and his current girlfriend, Gabrielle Union, for emotional stress. While not a legal term per se, “estranged” is commonly used when referring to a former spouse. Technically, the term means one whom was once loved, but later becomes alienated by the other. 

Filing for Divorce – People magazine reports that Sandra Bullock “filed for divorce” from her husband, Jesse James. To file for divorce does not meet to get divorced. Rather, filing for divorce merely gets the marital dissolution process in motion.

Irreconcilable Differences – Us magazine says that Larry King and his wife, Shawn Southwick, cited “irreconcilable differences” on their divorce paperwork, which means the couple cannot find resolution to their marital problem(s).

Palimony– People magazine recently covered a story on Mel Gibson and his former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, who split after five years. Even though the couple had a child together, it’s not likely Gibson will pay alimony (but he will have to pay child support). The article references this fact in light of the State of California’s “famous” palimony laws. California Palimony is similar to alimony, except it is awarded in cases where the couple has not legally married, but lived together for a certain amount of time and agreed to support one another financially.

Primary Custody – OK! magazine wrote about Jon Gosselin’s alleged desire for primary custody of his eight children, which later turned out untrue.  Primary custody means the same thing as “physical custody,” and applies to the parent whom the children live with and spend the majority of their time.

Proceedings – Us magazine says that Elin Woods and Tiger Woods will definitely divorce, quoting an unnamed source as saying the “proceedings” won’t go quickly. In law, proceedings refer to “a legal step or measure.”

Want to know the meaning of other divorce and child custody terms you see in the magazines? Tell us in the comments. We’ll continue covering celebrity divorce and confusing divorce terminology in future posts.

This article was posted in California Divorce News.