They were married for 17 years and kept their lives private for the most part. But George and Ann Serrano Lopez are now officially parting ways. Their divorce was finalized just before Independence Day of this year after Ms. Lopez initiated the proceedings last fall.

The reason for their split isn’t clear. Yet there have been numerous rumors that the late night talk show host wasn’t faithful. According to tabloid reports, Mr. Lopez had hired professional escorts and engaged in various extra-marital encounters.

None of these allegations, however, are reflected in the divorce petition filed by the former-Mrs. Lopez. She simply listed irreconcilable differences as the basis for the dissolution of their marriage.

In the divorce papers, Ms. Lopez requested primary custody of their daughter, Mayan, 15, and spousal support. She also asked that her former spouse pay all legal fees.

The court documents reveal that she wants to keep any jewelry and other personal effects as well.

It appears they want to stay on amicable terms. Through the comic’s representative, they announced they will remain dedicated parents and partners in their philanthropic organization, The Lopez Foundation.

A History of Their Relationship

George Lopez met Ann Serrano in May of 1990 at a California comedy club called The Ice House. Lopez wrote in his autobiography, Why You Crying?, that there weren’t any fireworks when he first got to know Serrano. But it seems they bonded over humanitarian causes in addition to a mutual interest in getting more Latino stories on TV and in the movies.

After a period of dating, Serrano was the one who proposed marriage. In an October 2002 article published in People magazine, Serrano admitted that she had to buy her own ring.

Then on September 18, 1993, the couple wed in San Fernando, California. They spent the majority of their marriage in a four-bedroom home located just north of Los Angeles.

The couple had a daughter in 1996, who they named Mayan. She is their only child.

In 2005, Ms. Lopez saved her husband from near total kidney failure due to a genetic disorder he’d suffered with all of his life. She donated one of her own kidneys to him.

The stand-up comic turned sitcom star has spoken quite openly over the years about how much his wife has helped him grow as a human being. In his autobiography, he writes about his gratitude to Ms. Lopez for preventing him from destroying himself. According to him, she also gave him unconditional love over many difficult years.

Despite the closeness the couple apparently shared in their relationship, Ms. Lopez filed for divorce in November of 2010.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

Lifelong alimony payments may have reached the end of their lifespan in Massachusetts on Thursday.

In a unanimous vote, the state Senate passed a bill to update the law regulating the support payments to an ex-spouse after divorce.

The decision finds Massachusetts joining a growing number of states that have recently updated laws regarding alimony payments.  The updates reflect a larger trend in changing social landscapes, including the growing number of women in the workforce over the past few decades.

States like Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah have placed time and age limits, caps, and income criteria on alimony. In Florida, state lawmakers passed a law relieving the divorced spouse of alimony responsibilities if the partner’s net income was significantly higher. A case in Tennessee challenging lifetime alimony is currently before the state’s Supreme Court.

Linda Lea M. Viken, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, recently spoke with the Washington Times about the proposed change to the Massachusetts law.

“The whole purpose of alimony is to allow a former spouse to maintain their standard of living,” Viken told reporters.

In a culture where more women have entered the workforce, fixed or lifelong alimony payments no longer make sense and many states have updated their laws accordingly. Currently, Massachusetts is “a little unique in still having this really strong, permanent-alimony law,” said Viken.

Prior to the current bill, the Massachusetts law had not been updated for 21 years. Should the governor sign the bill, it will help in bringing the state up to speed with others around the country.

Texas and Mississippi only award alimony in cases where marriage has lasted more than 10 years. Utah only requires an ex-spouse to pay alimony for a period of time equal to the length of the marriage.

The Massachusetts, bill, if signed into law, will set forth new guidelines for judges to determine the size and duration of alimony payments. For example, in cases where divorce occurs before five years of marriage, an individual will likely make alimony payments for a few months or years. In cases where divorce takes place after decades of marriage, an individual could potentially receive alimony until the payer reaches the age of retirement.

“This legislation will completely overhaul the state’s current antiquated system of setting alimony,” Denise Squillante, president of the Massachusetts Bar Association, told reporters.

Squillante has urged Gov. Patrick to sign the bill. Should it be enacted, the new law will go into effect March 1, 2012.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

As Amy Winehouse’s funeral took place Tuesday, the British tabloid The Daily Mail reported the pop singer left a will dividing her more than $15 million fortune amongst her immediate family members.

Those family members include Winehouse’s mother, Janis Winehouse, father, Mitch Winehouse, and older brother Alex, who will each receive one third of the remaining wealth. Janis and Mitch divorced when Amy was only 9 years old, and Janis now suffers from multiple sclerosis.

Not appearing in the will is Blake Fielder-Civil, Winehouse’s ex-husband who is currently serving a prison sentence for burglary and possession of a firearm. The couple divorced on claims of adultery in 2009, at which time Winehouse set forth stipulations on her will omitting Fielder-Civil as a beneficiary and leaving him unable to see any financial advantages.

After the divorce, Fielder-Civil was quoted saying, “I’m not interested in her money. I’m not taking a single penny off her.”

A close friend to Winehouse told The Daily Mail that the singer had put her affairs in order during the period following the couple’s divorce.

“I am pretty sure that Amy does have a will. As a matter of course with record contracts, financial advisers will make sure that is done,” the friend told the newspaper.

In response to the news, Fielder-Civil’s mother Georgette told reporters on behalf of her son, “He’s devastated and profiting from Amy’s death would be the last thing on his mind.”

Winehouse gained mainstream popularity with the release of 2007’s Back to Black album, the majority of which detailed the couple’s stormy romance. In the wake of the singer’s untimely death, the album reentered the Billboard 200 albums chart this week at No. 9 with more than 37,000 copies sold in the U.S.

The singer was found dead Saturday in her London flat. Thus far, autopsy reports have come back inconclusive, though the Winehouse is presumed to have overdosed. A toxicology report is due in a matter of weeks, which will clarify the cause of death.

Fielder-Civil once claimed to have been the one who introduced Winehouse to drugs and self-harming.

After hearing of his ex-wife’s death, he told reporters, “I’m beyond inconsolable … my tears won’t dry.”

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

It was a romance without a lot of fanfare. Despite being two of Hollywood’s hottest young stars, their relationship remained under the radar for nearly the entire time they were together. Now that their divorce is finalized, there’s still a mysterious aura about what caused the split.

But Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are now officially going their separate ways. Or maybe not. Even after the divorce was finalized, the famous former couple was seen having dinner together in Los Angeles.

Final divorce papers did go through, however, in Los Angeles Superior Court. And the only insight into their break-up is the irreconcilable differences they cite in the paperwork.

The couple did not have a prenuptial agreement, so all property and earnings during their two-year marriage were split evenly.

How Their Romance Began

The two celebrities began their romance in 2007. As with many details about their relationship, the nature of the couple’s meeting is not known. But on May 5, 2008, they announced their engagement. Then on September 27, 2008, the couple married in a quiet ceremony with just a few family and friends near Tofino, British Columbia.

Soon after their wedding, the megastars purchased a $2.8 million home near Los Angeles. But it didn’t take long for rumors of an impending break-up to circulate around them. As recently as last summer, the tabloids ran countless stories on the couple’s alleged marital strain.

Word on the street was that Johansson and Reynolds were too busy with their own projects to make time for each other. Supposed insiders claimed that the stars’ individual careers appeared to be more important than the relationship itself, causing them to drift apart.

Johansson and Reynolds never confirmed these facts to be true, but a source did tell Us Weekly at one point that Reynolds brought his marital troubles to the set of “The Green Lantern”. Apparently, he felt that Johansson didn’t make their marriage a priority in her life.

For her part, Johansson has not opened up about the reasons behind their split.

Although the couple never had children, they did collaborate on a documentary together. “The Whale”, executive produced by the couple, is about a lost orca found in a British Columbian waterway.

Moving Forward

Since their separation, Johansson and Reynolds have each dated other people. Just over three months ago, it was reported that Johansson had moved in with Sean Penn. According to reports, however, their romance came to an end last month.

Reynolds was rumored to be dating Sandra Bullock for a while. Now he’s said to be with Charlize Theron. This relationship appears to be on the private side as well since they’ve allegedly been dating for months now.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

It’s been just over a year since Camille Grammer filed for divorce from sitcom megastar Kelsey Grammer. And according to recent interviews, Ms. Grammer says she couldn’t be happier. She even told radaronline.com that she feels “liberated”.

To celebrate this important milestone, Grammer took her children, Mason, 9, and Jude, 6, for a Fourth of July celebration in Hawaii. The “Real Housewives” star and her kids enjoyed the scenic beaches while spending quality time together.

But even though this is a positive anniversary for Grammer, the issues in her marriage are far from over. She’s in the midst of a very bitter battle with her ex. Both parents continue to fight for sole custody of their two children.

Legal documents filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court show that each member of this power couple plans to testify in person at an upcoming custody hearing. Additionally, the former “Frasier” star has requested the judge seal all documents that relate to his ongoing clash with Camille.

Although both sides feel that a custody evaluation needs to take place, they remain at odds about who should do it. One thing they can agree on is that the judge should make the final decision on this matter.

Divorcing After Fifteen Years Together

The tense and troubled divorce proceedings come after fifteen years of what appeared to be a happy relationship. After two failed marriages, Mr. Grammer met his future spouse, a former Playboy model, on a blind date in 1996. Then in August of 1997 they tied the knot at Malibu’s exclusive Saddlerock Ranch.

Four years later the couple started a family with the help of a surrogate. By 2004, the couple had two children they raised together in several homes that have been featured in various style magazines.

Their jet-setting life came to an abrupt halt, however, in the summer of 2010. The reality star accused Mr. Grammer of getting her a spot on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” just so he could be free to have an affair.

In February of 2011, Kelsey married Kayte Walsh, who is allegedly the woman he’d been seeing as his union to Camille fell apart.

While his ex-wife made public statements of support for Kelsey’s fourth marriage, critical comments revealed the unpleasantness of their divorce proceedings. The former model implied on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM radio show that the “Frasier” star is a secret cross-dresser.

More fireworks are expected as their custody trial begins in August or September. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 27th.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

After the unpredictable unraveling of Charlie Sheen last spring, all eyes will be on the revamp of his former show, “Two and a Half Men” this fall. Now that Ashton Kutcher has been hired as Sheen’s replacement, there’s little doubt the season premiere will probably earn the best ratings of the night.

Or will it? If Sheen has any say in the matter, there could be some stiff competition. Comedy Central announced the highly anticipated roast of Charlie Sheen will air the same night as Kutcher’s debut on the CBS sitcom.

The roast, which promises to be anything but tame, will be taped on September 8th. But the comedy network plans to hold off its airing until the September 19th premiere of Sheen’s ex show.

Mueller Isn’t Amused

While the winning warlock appears to be gung-ho about turning his troubled life into comedic fodder for millions to enjoy, his ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, is concerned. She wants to make sure everyone knows that her name is off limits.

So she’s on a campaign to inform her former hubby, as well as any comedians involved in the night’s entertainment, that if she’s mentioned even in the slightest way, there will be some lawsuits in the near future.

Mueller’s response may appear to be a bit of an over reaction on the surface. But she does have some legal clout to back up her threat. In the couple’s divorce settlement, Sheen, who is the father of their twin boys, Bob and Max, agreed that he’d never talk publicly about Mueller or her personal life.

If, however, he ignores this promise, Mueller is already prepared. She plans to send a letter to Comedy Central, demanding that the network remove any jokes that target her before the show’s airing.

The Sheen/Mueller Relationship

This latest detail in the epic saga of Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Their entire relationship has been a rollercoaster of near constant ups and downs.

After about two years of dating, the couple got married in Los Angeles in 2008. The honeymoon didn’t last long, however. Just months later, in the winter of 2009, Sheen was arrested in Aspen, Colorado, on domestic violence charges.

The following fall, Sheen filed for divorce from Mueller, citing irreconcilable differences.

Mueller also filed a divorce petition at the same time. In her papers, she requested full custody and spousal support.

Then, around the time that Sheen was fired from “Two and a Half Men” following a string of bizarre events, Mueller asked for a restraining order. She described her great fear of Sheen, which enabled her not only to receive legal protection, but also remove their children from the sitcom star’s care.

Their divorce became final in early May of this year. In addition to random drug testing on both sides, the settlement includes shared custody of their twin boys and $55,000 per month in child support from Sheen.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

When Maria Shriver filed for divorce from her husband of 25 years, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bombshell was the reason for their split – Shriver found out Schwarzenegger had had not only an affair, but a child with a member of their household staff.

But the big news is that although she’s no longer Schwarzenegger’s spouse, the 55-year-old former journalist doesn’t mind being his neighbor.

In fact, she’s in the process of buying a $10 million home in L.A.’s Brentwood, the same exclusive area where her soon-to-be ex hubby still lives. She has allegedly picked this neighborhood in order to make the transition easier for their two youngest children, Christopher and Patrick.

New Home, New Life

In many ways Shriver’s new house could be seen as a fresh start for her own life. She’s chosen an 11,000 square foot house that requires extensive refurbishing from top to bottom. By the time the all-encompassing makeover is done, this home will be nothing like the original.

It’s estimated that the new and improved version will be ready for Shriver in about 3 months. When all of the work is completed, Shriver’s new house will have 8 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, a 3-car garage, a home gym, a theater and a wine room.

It’s reported that Shriver has been looking at real estate options for the past 6 months – well before the news of their divorce broke.

The $10 million home is expected to close soon and it’s really just a fraction of the amount Shriver will most likely receive in the divorce settlement.

Details of the Divorce

Despite all speculation, Shriver’s divorce petition does not reveal any shocking details about the couple’s break-up. It simply cites “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their split. Additionally, Shriver seeks joint custody of their two youngest children and spousal support.

Schwarzenegger, 63, is reportedly worth an estimated $600 million. In addition to earnings from hit movies such as “Predator” and “True Lies”, which were made during his marriage to Shriver, he also retains rights to intellectual property from his stint as a fitness expert and movie star.

Shriver’s net worth is said to be more modest. According to the disclosures in the divorce petition, her holdings are worth more than $1 million. As a member of the Kennedy family, she is a beneficiary of some of its assets. She also owns the rights and royalties from her work as an author.

The divorce petition does not indicate that a prenuptial agreement exists. So it’s expected that the couple’s wealth will be divided evenly. Schwarzenegger has allegedly said he plans to be very generous in the divorce settlement with his former wife.

Biggest Celebrity Scandal in Years

Shriver, an award-winning reporter, has turned down many televised interviews recently. The general public has expressed great interest in Shriver’s story as it is considered one of the biggest celebrity scandals in years. But Shriver seems to prefer moving forward without any tell-all interviews on the horizon.

However, she has appeared in a few videos posted on YouTube where she discusses the stress in her life and her search for faith of some kind.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.

Divorce represents a process that’s often unappealing to people who’ve taken the marital leap. No couple gets married envisioning that their union will end in divorce. Unfortunately, it does happen.

However, today’s economic climate has created an ironic situation. The combination of a terrible housing market and the troubled economy has lowered the divorce rate. People haven’t been able to afford the cost of divorce. In other words, married couples are actually staying together longer, which could mean a second chance at working out issues – or a painful delay of the inevitable.

The sad reality is that as the economy improves and the housing market slowly gets better, the pace of divorce will most likely rise in the coming years.

Divorce Categories

Divorce can become complicated with issues like potential child support and alimony, but the process can be divided into two, basic categories:

• No Fault Divorce
• Fault Divorce

While these categories represent different processes of getting a divorce, the particular laws are unique in each state. Furthermore, most states have a residency requirement as well. So at least one member of the couple must have been a resident of that state for a specific amount of time.

This is why it’s always important to find out what your state expects before filing a divorce petition.

No Fault Divorce

No fault divorce does not require the filing spouse prove that the other partner failed in their marriage. The only thing a spouse needs to do in this type of divorce is give a valid reason for the marriage’s dissolution.

There is somewhat of a catch, however, in that most states still require a legally valid reason for ending the marriage. Typically, this is just a formality that involves checking a box on the divorce petition.

Normally, a spouse cites either “irreconcilable differences” or an “irreparable breakdown of the marriage” as the cause of the marriage’s core problems, although the exact language varies by state. These are just fancy ways of saying that the relationship cannot be restored.

All states honor no fault divorces. However, some states require that the spouses live separately for a certain period of time before either of them can file a divorce petition.

Fault Divorce

Fault divorces are not used as frequently. In fact, most states no longer allow them anymore. The states that do permit fault divorces involve one spouse asking for a divorce based on a certain action of the other partner. Some of the most common reasons a spouse provides are:

• Adultery
• Abandonment
• One spouse is unable to be sexually intimate
• The infliction of emotional or physical pain
• Incarceration

Unlike a no fault divorce, the most states do not require that the spouses live separately for a specific amount of time. In addition, the spouse who proves fault is usually granted a larger portion of marital property or support, which typically means a drawn out, contentious court battle.

Fault Divorce Defenses

A major difference between no fault and fault divorces involves the defense. While there is no real need to go on the attack in a no fault divorce, a strong defense can make all the difference in a fault divorce.

The defenses can run the gamut. For instance, if adultery is at the center of the fault divorce case, the accused spouse can claim connivance. This means that the filing spouse participated in the adultery. Collusion is another reason, which entails that both spouses had previously agreed to fabricate grounds for divorce.

However, any defense might be a wasted effort. The courts have no interest in forcing people to stay together against their will. So it usually grants a divorce to people who ask for one despite any defenses given by the other spouse. The major hurdle is often in determining property division, spousal support, child custody and other aspects of ending the marriage.

Copyright © 2010 TotalDivorce, LLC. (as licensee). All rights reserved.