Judge also glad to see settlement agreement in Murdoch divorce

Divorce in Nevada, as in any other state, can be a painful experience to go through; sometimes, however, it is necessary to end a marriage that is not working. It is not unusual for the issues that arise during a divorce to be time-consuming, exasperating and traumatic for both spouses and their children. Even the judge said that she was glad when Rupert Murdoch and his wife of 14 years, Wendi Deng Murdoch, announced that they had managed to reach a settlement in their divorce.

A hearing took place at the Supreme Court of New York, where the couple informed the judge that they had both signed a hundred-page confidential agreement, which would render a trial unnecessary. According to people in close contact with the Murdoch couple, it was reported that there was one prenuptial and a couple of post-nuptial agreements signed, which defined the assets division should they ever file for divorce. As expected, there were a number of arguable issues to deal with, including agreement for child custody arrangements for the two daughters born from their marriage.

Reportedly, Mrs. Murdoch and the two children will continue to reside in the penthouse triplex on Fifth Avenue. The two children, together with four children from previous marriages, hold equal interest in the family trust that accommodates most of the media mogul’s wealth, at an estimated amount of about $13 billion. Control and ownership of the media conglomerate will not be affected by the divorce. The hearing, which was held in a small courtroom, lasted only about 15 minutes, after which they shook hands and each one went their own way without engaging in any conversation.

Settling all contentious issues in a divorce certainly reduces the effect of the trauma on family members. Some of the most emotional matters to deal with during these negotiations are visitation disputes and child custody. Most often, these disputes involve both parents wanting what is best for their children, but each one having very different ideas about how to achieve that goal. If Nevada couples find it overwhelming to negotiate an agreement, they may consider consulting with a team of mediators to assist them in drawing up a document that carries the agreement of both parties.

Source: The New York Times, Rupert and Wendi Murdoch reach a divorce settlement, Peter Lattman, Nov. 20, 2013