On April 7, a Florida judge announced the annulment of a 24-year marriage between a U.S. Congressman and his wife. The hearing was initially scheduled to review whether the marriage between the U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson and his wife was valid due to allegations that she was still married to another man at the time she married the congressman.
The annulment announcement has put the matter of bigamy on hold for now in the wake of the judge’s determination. The annulment also puts an end to a rather contentious divorce battle between the couple that included allegations of bigamy, financial abandonment and battery.
Although the attorney representing the congressman’s former wife refused to issue comments regarding the annulment, Grayson’s wife had previously presented claims via court documents stating that she was properly divorced from her first husband at the time that she with the congressman back in 1990.
The couple currently share five children together and Grayson’s wife had taken issue with his support of the family prior to the announcement. The former wife is a stay-at-home mother and claims that Grayson had financially abandoned the family at one point despite having an estimated worth of $31 million. In particular, she accused Grayson of ending his financial support to her and the four children still living at home while the divorce was in progress. She also accused Grayson of failing to pay for repairs to that home.
Grayson’s attorneys countered those allegations, saying that Grayson had spent in excess of $10,000 per month as he continued paying on the home’s mortgage, repairs to home, utilities, child support and other expenses. Grayson reportedly also paid the tuition costs for one of the couple’s children who is now in college.
When couples decide to end their marriages, there often are hotly contested issues that need to be decided before the divorce can be finalized. These are important issues like how to dispose of the marital home and figuring out which parent should provide the primary residence for the couple’s children. A Florida family law attorney can assist you with developing a strategy designed to protect your interests in these important decisions. Consulting with your attorney can prove beneficial to your efforts whether you are seeking a fair amount of child visitation or simply protecting what you have worked hard to achieve throughout your marriage.
Source: ABC News, “Congressman Grayson and Wife Agree to Annulment,” Mike Schneider, Associated Press, April. 07, 2015