Mediation of Jon and Kate: Kate to Get Custody of the 8
For those of you who loved watching the TLC reality show Jon and Kate Plus 8, we have some very sad news. Tonight is the series finale of the show. That's right, there will be no more new Jon and Kate dramas to be seen... on that television show, at least.
CBS reports that Jon Gosselin had brought a dozen red roses to a meeting that he had with his soon to be ex-wife Kate Gosselin.
However, as you know from our previous posts, this was not a reconciliation. From their very open arguments over breaches of contracts with TLC, to rumors of affairs on both sides, it is clear that the couple is calling it quits. The meeting was actually a mediation in order for the couple to decide on important matters such as figuring out the fate of their eight children, alimony, and other issues from their impending divorce.
According to CBS, the couple decided that Kate will have primary custody of their eight children, the house, and they have both agreed to forgo alimony. However, despite such a new Jon and Kate agreement, both sides should remember that just because they agree to forgo alimony now, does not mean that a spouse can't come back from the past and demand it later as we wrote about here.
In spite of all of the dramas, CBS quotes Jon as saying, "I don't hate Kate." Is the feeling mutual? Well that remains murky. Kate said, "I'm tired of smiling on the outside when I'm crying on the inside," during the announcement episode.
Even though the mediation of some of the couple's issues took place, they still need an arbiter to decide how the infamous reality couple will divide up their assets. CBS Legal analyst Lisa Bloom told CBS that she expected an equal division of assets based on PA law: "Well, the law in Pennsylvania is equitable distribution, which simply means that all of the property accrued during the marriage gets divided up equally. Roughly a 50/50 split. That's what we expect here."
The Gosselins are expected to find out how assets will be divided in approximately 30 days.
Related Resources:
- Jon and Kate No More: Would an Affair Affect Divorce? (Findlaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Jon & Kate Plus Alimony Lessons (Findlaw's Law and Daily Life)
- TLC v. Jon Gosselin: The Breach of Contract Allegation (Findlaw's Law and Daily Life)
- Divorce FAQs (provided by McNeil & Goldstein, LLC)
- Divorce Mediation (provided by Gill Law Practice)