Richie Sambora Arrest Threatens Child Custody Privileges

09 Apr

Filed Under DWI, Divorce, Richie Sambora, Healther Locklear | Leave a Comment

You can lose more than the car keys driving drunk.

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora’s March 25th DUI arrest may not only cost him jail time, it may cost him his child. Because of Sambora’s alleged criminal conduct, his custody rights–specifically his visitation privileges– over his 10-year-old child with ex-wife Heather Locklear are now in jeopardy.

Police stopped the musician when the car he was driving was reportedly weaving on the roadway. When Sambora stepped out his car, he reeked of alcohol. Even worse, Ava and another child were with him at the time, riding in the backseat.

As a result, his May 7th arraignment in California Superior Court could include at least two counts of risk of injury to a minor or other child endangerment charges along with a DUI charge. If that is the case, the door opens further for Locklear to pursue new legal action in the Family Court. If that happens, this once amicable co-parenting arrangement will turn ugly.

Depending on the nature and quantity of all the charges leveled (in addition to the fact of the arrest itself), Locklear will have new grounds to seek a modification of previously existing custody orders. And she can use Sambora’s alleged lack of sobriety against him. (Sambora has admitted to past alcohol abuse.)

Sambora and Lockwood have been apart since 2006. Currently, the ex-couple share joint custody, giving them equal decision-making power, but Locklear has physical custody. Ava lives with her mother and Sambora has visitation rights. The actress is in a strong position to argue that her ex-husband’s conduct is too risky or that he is too unstable to spend time with their child unsupervised.

But Sambora has a custody card in his pocket too. He could counterpunch based on Locklear’s recent alleged mental health scare two weeks prior to his own incident with police. A doctor called 911 to Locklear’s house after reporting the actress was possibly suicidal. Locklear denied any problems. But if she does exhibit any signs of significant instability that affect her parenting abilities, Sambora can raise those issues in court in a bid to influence custody issues.

We’ve all witnessed just how destructive a Hollywood custody battle can get– Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards come most immediately to mind. Let’s hope these two work out their personal problems and keep up the civilized relationship as co-parents. Their daughter has been through enough this year.

Political Wives, Why Stand By Your Man (at the Press Conference)?

12 Mar

Filed Under Eliot Spitzer, Divorce | 2 Comments

We just watched the latest political wife stand by her man at a national press conference as he announces his infidelity, betrayal of marriage vows and violation of public trust. When Silda Spitzer positioned herself next to her husband, Governor Eliot Spitzer, at the podium with her defeated, somber expression, sympathetic glances at her disappointing spouse, and staged body language implying “we are still one,” it made me wince. The message was, as usual, “You wronged me, humiliated me, destroyed my family and my life, but I want all your constituents to know that your family will not abandon you.” The event was contrived, as they always are, and every time we have the misfortune of witnessing reckless, selfish politician announce their requisite mea culpas with their wives at their side, the women seem to suffer twice as much. First they endure the devastation of the initial private family revelation behind closed doors. Then the second round of bruising humiliation, this one for the entire world to see.

The last press conference I vividly remember feeling mortified over was attended by Dina Matos McGreevey. She stood by her husband, New Jersey Governor James McGreevey, when he announced to the world that he was a “Gay American” who had an inappropriate relationship while in office. Watching Dina’s frozen smile and deer in the headlights expression, you could not help but feel her pain. But having the wife at the conference doesn’t help the politician. It just makes him look more like a dog for making her suffer again. For Silda and Dina and all the other wives who endured a scripted spectacle, now hear this: There’s a better way to weather this storm— Don’t show up!
Read more

The ‘Lady’ Hits a Divorce Court Jackpot

26 Feb

Filed Under Paul McCartney, Divorce | Leave a Comment

A four year marriage and a predicted $108 million settlement. That’s what Heather Mills, aka Lady McCartney, is expected to walk away with after a week in divorce court. Only in Britain can a failed marriage to a billionare lead to such a large jackpot in such a short amount of time.

In my divorce guidebook for women, He Had It Coming: How to Outsmart Your Husband and Win Your Divorce, I warn all short-term brides to be realisitic — don’t expect to cash in on your failed marriage if you haven’t been in the game long enough to aquire joint marital assets. But apparently in England, the courts have a different take on marriage and money. Between $5 million dollars a year in child support until their daughter is 18 (Heather andf Paul share a daughter, 4-year-old Beatrice) and the rest made up in settlement money, Heather’s jJob” as Mrs. Paul McCartney will likely have netted her approximately $27 million a year.

For a wife who handled her divorce completely wrong, Heather will nonetheless clean up in divorce court. British courts are known to dole out extremely generous divorce settlements. But I am convinced that a short-term marriage McCartney-like divorce settlement never would have happened here in America. Stateside, our courts rely on the principles of equity and fairness to divide assets, examining an array of factors such as the earning capacity of the spouses, contributions to the marriage, and the value of assets. So if you are in the midst of divorce or contemplating ending your marriage, don’t look to Heather Mills as an example of how to behave in divorce court. Her success occurred only because she is lucky enough to live under the Queen’s rule.

By Stacy Schneider