Jon and Kate spent Saturday in arbitration discussing everything from custody, child support and distribution of assets. People, Radar Online and TMZ are all reporting that Jon and Kate’s divorce will most probably be finalized by the end of they year.
TMZ is reporting that: “We’ve learned even Jon isn’t contesting that Kate should get primary custody and a decision on who gets what in the money department will be handed down within 30 days.” Sources also said that neither party asked for spousal support and Jon and Kate actually agreed to the amounts certain items were worth, but they were far apart on issues relating to how the assets should be distributed.
Both Jon and Kate testified in the hearing. Apparently the negotiations went so well that the arbitration’s scheduled second day, planned for Monday, is no longer necessary. The arbitrator is expected to rule in a month.
Jon’s attorney, Mark Heller, has stated that he had all parties sign a confidentiality agreement regarding the specifics of the final terms of divorce. Heller also commented that ” There were a couple of very emotional moments, “but in the end it all came together and concluded on a happy note.” Kate and her attorney declined to comment.
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17 Responses to Jon & Kate’s Divorce: The End Appears Near
I’m glad things are moving along quickly and that this will be resolved . I have a question: Why was Heller allowed to represent Jon at this hearing? Was it because it was an arbitration hearing? I wish he would keep his mouth closed though. He had to get in that he was the one who got everyone to sign a confidentially agreement. Seems like he is boasting.
Heller is gross, Paula. Jon has been getting on my last nerve for months but I’m still a bit worried about the grip Heller has on him, because I think he’s so much worse.
I wonder how Jon’s faithful fans feel about him not contesting Kate getting primary custody? The most fervent of them believe that Jon was an abused spouse – what will they say about him not fighting for custody against his “abuser”? Oh, who am I kidding – they’ll find some way to make it all Kate’s fault.
I also wonder how and if Hellar actually represented Jon. Maybe Jon is representing himself with Hellar as consult?? Did he have any others in his legal team? Hellar concerns me with the amount that he speaks and how he has lead Jon in the wrong directions. I may not care for how Jon has treated himself and his family this summer, but I don’t wish bad for him.
I’m reserving my guesses to what happened in their settlement. I do, however, hope Kate got primary custody. Jon’s lifestyle hasn’t proved to be stable for their children. I know many will say she travels, has help….. yada yada yada…. but she has always been the focus parent. I wonder if they will keep that the house is the place each will have the children when they are with the kids. If I were her, having to pay for the house (if she got full custody), I’d take that off the table and make him get a place for the kids to visit him at. Oh, maybe not, it is in the kids best interest to have their stability during rotating parenting….. I’m just not sure I’d be that civil.
What was up with the roses? Here honey, I’ve told America I despise you, slept with many women, some in our home, trashed you almost each time I open my mouth, but please accept these long stem red roses, a sign of love, as we split everything we had together. What was that another way to say she won’t try??
On some site there is a picture with Heller flashing a peace sign, which made me chuckle, but also made me think about the times I’ve been mowing my “back 40″ and instead of waving to a fellow neighbor mowing their yard wanted to flash the peace sign. Now I must be thankful that I’ve resisted that urge, because in no way do I want to seem similar to Mr. Heller.
I’d like to interject for everybody the fact that the word “custody” doesn’t mean exactly what it used to mean…and anyone with additional info, please chime in…
“Primary” custody for Kate probably means she’ll have more time with the kids than Jon, but it could be as little as an hour more a month/week. It usually means the primary residence where the kids will live as well is with the “primary” parent, but since the kids won’t be traveling between parents, that has little bearing at this point.
It also usually means the primary parent can make some minor decisions about day-to-day life for the kids, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have to confer with the other parent or keep them informed of what’s going on (you would hope you don’t need a court order for that). And Jon will still have a 50/50 say in major decisions about the kids.
“Sole” custody, in general terms, would mean that one parent has overriding power to make decisions for the kids. Legally, that wouldn’t be the case here.
I imagine (except maybe for filming) that Jon will go back to his old pattern and let Kate make the decisions anyway, but, barring drug use or abuse, he’ll never lose the right to a say in what goes on with the kids.
I don’t know about PA, but here in Florida the we’ve actually abolished the term “custody” from legal family matters. It’s now called “Shared Parental Resonsibility”.
I honestly don’t know how it will work long-term with the house sharing. I think it’s great for the Gosselin children not to have to go between mom’s and dad’s, but I can’t imagine having to essentially share my house with my ex-spouse until the kids are 18. We’ll see, I guess.
Maybe Jon is representing himself with Hellar as consult??
i don’t think so as i read somewhere that jon said they weren’t allowed to speak but their attorneys did the talking.
On some site there is a picture with Heller flashing a peace sign.
i’ve read some places (ahem) saying he was flashing the victory sign. and i also read that it seemed that jon is ok with giving up most of the custody for more money…sad. and that jon is trying to delay the divorce in hopes tlc will go easier on him…and to get in kate’s good graces…yeah well that ship sailed right after the 4th or 5th apology and then attack.
What was up with the roses?
know what i thought? the valentine show when he brought kate roses and when he gave them to her and she said how surprised she was he said she griped about getting them so much(she didn’t she just said her table would look better with flowers on it)…nice sentiment with the roses honey!
cella i don’t know about the legality but i’m betting primary means she lives with the kids and when jon has them she won’t be there….and i bet that also means he will only be there when she isn’t and will make it fit her schedule.
basically kate got the house but can’t do anything but live there and take care of it; can’t sell it. and she got the kids to the point where she doesn’t need his signature for most things concerning them. i don’t know how the filming will be addressed..or has been addressed. but i bet she can have the kids filmed when they are with her…and i bet jon is ok with it and probably gave in to that for more money.
i also bet jon will say he had no choice in the filming of the kids when they are with kate but he won’t let tlc film them on his time…bolding on tlc b/c i bet he will somehow work it to have them filmed for his benefit.
Haha
, that difference in peace sign/victory sign…once again I feel clueless in this whole situation, but it doesn’t keep me from posting.
I’m lazy this afternoon and don’t want to research, but think that a new lawyer has agreed to sponsor Heller, or whatever the proper terminology is, so maybe he can legitimately be there.
Mary,
I love your avatar. Is that you? Or one of your children or grandchildren?
It’s me Pam, the black and white is all they had back then…lol. And just as a “shout out” to this site, I found out how to create it on one of your early threads in The Lounge (I think), Jasmin posted about Gravatar.
It is great. If you look on our About Us page, we have our childhood pictures also. Mine was taken in 1959 . I was four.
I love looking at pictures from the 50s and the 60s.
Yes, I had seen that page, and found the range of ages and lifestyles interesting and inviting. I can expect to see the opinions of my age group and those of my children’s age group represented, but maybe not my grandchildren’s…the oldest is ten, so maybe. I will say that I am a grandparent by way of a stepdaughter, but since I’m old enough anyway, it doesn’t really matter. Well, I promised my husband dinner that didn’t involve a soup can, so I’ll leave this post and allow it to get back to the Gosselins!
I’m glad the divorce is on the fast track. It will give Kate a sense of relief to go on w/her life. Jon has a rough road ahead of him. His constant stunts for media attention are getting ridiculous. Bringing half dead roses to the arbritration hearing. What?? How can he not see that he is in deep doo doo. Sure they agreed on a financial settlement so quick because Kate realizes that Jon is going to lose whatever settlement he received w/fighting the TLC lawsuit against him. The evidence just keeps piling up against him. IMO I hope that Kate’s new show will include the children. I will miss seeing them. But if TLC just has special episodes for holidays that would be great. I’m just glad that Kate got primary custody of the kids. I wish it was sole cause at this time Jon is not capable of making decisions in his own life let alone his childrens. I’m sure he will bend and just have Kate keep making the decisions.
Either way, if we think this will mean the end of Jon & Kate we are sadly mistaken.
Kate is well rid of him. His behavior is indefensible. He was fine with having the kids on the show when he was married and collecting the profits. Now he’s concerned? So he stopped the show and there will be no more funds for Jon unless he goes after Kate’s future earnings because he has absolutely no way of earning a buck for himself. TLC will win against him. It’s not rocket science. He signed a contract that is binding.
What was up with the roses? Here honey, I’ve told America I despise you, slept with many women, some in our home, trashed you almost each time I open my mouth, but please accept these long stem red roses, a sign of love, as we split everything we had together. What was that another way to say she won’t try??
Head games. Hope she doesn’t fall for it.
I’m glad they were able to agree on most things. I find it funny that Hellar had them sign a confidentially agreement, wasn’t that Hellar sitting right beside Jon giving interviews on national tv to anyone who would give them air time?
I read on few different websites that Kate will have primary custody, I think in this case it most likely means she will be with the kids the majority of the time and she will have the authority to make most of the day to day decisions for the kids without consulting Jon.
Hi – long time reader (very long time!) but first time poster. I have not made it through ALL of the comments, so I very well may be repeating something that has already been “explained” – I live in PA and am in the midst of a divorce, and my boyfriend has been divorced (here in PA) with a minor child involved. First, b/f anyone jumps on me for being still married but also having a boyfriend, in my defense my date of seperation from my hopefully soon to be ex was September 8 of 2004. He has been dragging out the financial settlement in an unforgivable manner. So I think (IMO) I’ve earned my freedom and my right to a boyfriend – LOL.
Primary custody in PA just refers to the amount of time spent w/ one parent vs the other. It is in no way sole custody. W/o having specific details of JK8′s custody agreement (and rightly so, we should not know), it is not realistic for us to speculate on what Jon agreeing to Kate’s primary custody actually means, i.e. physically with whom the kids spend their time, or parentally with decision making.
Additionally, a custody day in PA divorce law refers to the over-night. If Kate has the kids overnight, that is a day counted toward her custody, and vice versa. My bf and I have primary custody of his 15 year old son. But in our situation, that just means the we have his son on 4 overnights per week, and he is with his mother for the remaining 3 overnights. Also, any and all major decisions regarding the child must be mutually agreed upon – i.e. medical issues, education, religion, childcare (when he was younger.) JK8′s situation could be something similar (or not).
On a side note, this arrangement is our legal custody agreement. In practice, with both sides agreeing for the boy’s best interests, we split the time actually 50-50. On a continous 2 week rotating schedule, we have custody as follows: Dad – Sat, Sun, Mon; Mom – Tues, Wed; Dad – Thur, Fri and then starting over, Mom – Sat, Sun, Mon; Dad – Tues, Wed; Mom Thur, Fri (and so on).
This schedule (vs court agreement, which is Dad – Tues thru Fri and Mom – Sat thru Mon) was suggested by their son at age 12. It allows him to have a sense of control over his time, and also shows him that his divorced parents are able to work together on his behalf. Of course, should either side become disillusioned with the casual custody arrangement, the court appointed schedule could and would be enforced.
Whomever mentioned up-thread the decision making authority vs primary custody, was very much correct. Jon will always have 50-50 say in all major events and occurances regarding the kids. Short of outright abuse of the kids or spouse, or drugs/alcohol, criminal acts etc., it is highly unlikely that a family court judge would take that right away from him.
I’m not saying that this reduces the odds of the kids once more being free to film (with Jon’s approval) and Kate plus 8 coming to fruition; actually I wouldn’t be surprised would that happen. I truly believe that TLC will eventually settle out of court, and Jon, in exchange for some amount of money, will cave on his refusal to allow the kids back on TV.
Anyway, sorry for the length of this post. I just wanted to clarify the methodology of PA divorce, custody, family law.