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Jesse James and Sandra Bullock Face Custodial Rights Challenge

By Minara El-Rahman on March 23, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

It seems like there is a lot more for Jesse James and Sandra Bullock to worry about than the rumors of infidelity. America's sweetheart and the reformed bad boy owner of West Coast Choppers also have to worry about losing their custodial rights to Mr. James' daughter Sunny.

We wrote about how Mr. James' ex wife Janine Lindemulder went public with her scorn over how Jesse James and Sandra Bullock petitioned for custodial rights to her biological daughter previously in Celebrity Justice. Specifically, Ms. Lindemulder did not take too kindly to the pair calling her an unfit mother because of her lifestyle choices, particularly her jail time for tax evasion and her remarriage to a convicted felon.

As a result, Jesse James and Sandra Bullock were awarded full custody of Sunny. However with rumors circulating about Jesse James' infidelity with a tattoo model, many people are wondering if Sandra Bullock will leave Jesse James. In fact, CBS News reports that Janine Lindemulder now wants custody of her daughter Sunny. According to CBS, tabloids claim that Ms. Lindemulder is expecting Sandra Bullock to divorce Jesse James. As a result, she expects that the family court will be more likely to rule in her favor. She also hopes that Mr. James' rumored infidelities will aid her in getting her daughter back.

Some of the things that a family court will consider during a child custody case are:

  • What are the child's best interests?
  • Who is the child's primary caretaker?
  • What are the child's preferences?
  • What is the religious upbringing that the child will have? Are there contrasting views between the two parents?
  • How will the parents' non-marital sexual relationships affect the child?

As you can tell, Mr. James' alleged extramarital affair could bode well for Ms. Lindemulder's bid for their daughter Sunny. Only time will tell if the family court will agree with her.  

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