Not everyone in Texas pays attention to celebrity couples and their marital woes. However, the situation involving Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner is a perfect example of the circumstances that can determine the direction a relationship takes. The two stars met while making the 2003 film “Daredevil” together. After dating for a few years, the actors tied the knot in 2005. Following a decade together, the award-winning stars decided to separate in 2015, reportedly because of Affleck’s infidelity.
After submitting the required paperwork in Los Angeles, the couple’s marriage officially ended in divorce three years after their separation. The couple agreed to share joint custody of their three children. They also agreed to visit a co-parenting therapist together for a minimum of six months. While it is common for celebrities to have prenuptial agreements, Affleck and Garner did not have such a document. Instead, the two stars worked out a mutually acceptable property settlement.
After proceedings stalled for a few years, the couple initially filed for divorce in 2017. However, neither party filed the additional paperwork. The divorce was about to be dismissed when Garner responded to a third notice informing her that a decision needed to be made about whether to proceed. The delay in completing the divorce was reportedly due to Affleck’s time spent in a rehab facility because of alcohol addiction. At one point during the separation, the Oscar-winning director publicly stated he was “fighting for his family.” Garner attributes the stress that contributed to the divorce, in part, on relentless tabloid scrutiny involving their situation.
When a couple is faced with similar divorce issues, an attorney may step in and attempt to seek mutually acceptable arrangements. For instance, if there is no prenup, negotiations typically involve determining how to fairly divide marital property, which refers to any jointly earned income and possessions acquired during the marriage. If a marriage produced children, a family law attorney may help work out a fair custody agreement. This process sometimes includes seeking child support if one parent gets sole or primary custody.
