Americans are a voyeuristic people, by and large, and no subject seems to intrigue us more than the end of relationships. The popularity of gossip magazines and tabloid photographs testifies to the notion that we crave salacious details of the misfortunes of others. Whether a formerly prominent celebrity has fallen into scandal, or an ordinary citizen reveals herself to be tragically confused about the nature of divorce, these stories are euphemistically called “human interest stories,” and they are the junk food of otherwise legitimate journalism. In the interest of serving the public what it wants, here is a brief summary of two such divorce stories, one from across the pond, and one from the biggest city in the USA.
Eliot Spitzer Files for Divorce
In what may seem inevitable in hindsight, disgraced former governor of New York Eliot Spitzer and his wife filed for divorce on January 14th. The filing comes nearly six years after Spitzer was outed as “Client 9” of the now-infamous Emperor’s Room VIP prostitution scandal. Spitzer’s soon-to-be-ex Silda ostensibly stayed with him through the scandal, but did not join him on the campaign trail for his ultimately unsuccessful bid for City Controller of New York last year.
While a joint statement from both parties claims that the divorce will be uncontested, the papers filed by the two on the 14th state that the divorce will in fact be contested. This could lead to a courtroom battle over the considerable assets the couple has accumulated during their 26-year marriage. Among them would be the salary that Eliot collected as an employee of Spitzer Engineering, a firm owned by his father. In total, Spitzer is estimated to be worth approximately $50 million.
British Woman Divorcing Her Husband Did Not Want Marriage to End; Sues Attorneys
A woman in the UK has sued her divorce attorneys for ending her marriage. She claims that they did not properly explain what the outcome of the divorce would be, and that, her being Roman Catholic, other options should have been explained to her, such as separation. While separation is a very real option, it is difficult to comprehend someone not understanding what divorce is. The British courts seem to agree, as her complaint and appeal were both dismissed.
Contact an Illinois Divorce Attorney
Be it acrimonious or civil, be the parties rich or poor, divorce is difficult. The best way to navigate divorce is with a competent Chicago family law attorney who understands the pitfalls and difficulties, both legal and emotional, that the parties face. If you are considering divorce, contact Sullivan Taylor & Gumina today.
