Sandra Bullock / Jesse James Divorce Finalized
It is done.
The divorce between Sandra Bullock and Jesse James is final. She will be starting a new life as a single mother, after the pair adopted a 3½-month-old baby boy Louis Bardo Bullock.
Documents were signed and the pair filed papers under seal in Texas to finalize their divorce after their nearly five-year marriage, TMZ reports.
As previously discussed, Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock filed for divorce in April following a cheating scandal.
Divorce can be complicated legal process, and specific steps can vary from state to state. Below is divorce timeline that gives a general picture of how the average divorce proceeds:
- To start off the divorce, one of the spouses gets a lawyer, who writes up a petition that says why the spouse wants a divorce and how he or she wants to settle financial, custody, and other issues.
- The lawyer files the petition or complaint with the court.
- The lawyer or the court makes sure that the petition/complaint is served on the other spouse, together with a summons that requires that spouse's response.
- The served spouse has to answer within a certain time.
- The couple exchanges documents and information on issues such as property and income to help the court make a decision.
- Sometimes, the couple can voluntarily resolve all their issues through mediation or settlement.
- If a settlement is reached, the settlement agreement is shown to a judge at an informal hearing.
- If the judge approves the agreement, he or she gives the couple a divorce decree that shows what they agreed to.
- At trial, attorneys present evidence and arguments for each side, and the judge decides the unresolved issues and then grants the divorce.
- Either or both spouses can appeal a judge's decision to a higher court. But it's unusual for an appeals court to overturn a judge's decision.
Related Resources:
- Divorce Glossary (FindLaw)
- Sandra Bullock Files for Divorce from Jesse James (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice Blog)
- If Sandra Bullock Divorces Jesse James, What Rights or Privileges Will She Have... (FindLaw's Writ)
- Questions to Ask During Divorce (provided by Tamara K. Holden PA)
- Mediation and Collaborative Divorce (provided by Zaslow & Sandler, LLC)