Jennifer Garner Files for Divorce From Ben Affleck
Despite rumors of a reconciliation, Jennifer Garner has officially filed for divorce from Ben Affleck.
According to TMZ, Garner’s petition and Affleck’s response were filed together without lawyers, meaning it was coordinated and cordial.
They want joint legal and physical custody of their three kids: daughter Violet, 11; daughter Seraphina, 8; and 5-year-old son, Samuel.
There is apparently no prenup in place, so earnings accrued during their marriage will be split equally, unless they agree otherwise. Jen and Ben are reportedly in the process of finalizing a financial settlement, and the divorce could be final in six months. Per TMZ, it’s likely that the case will be handled out of court and through a mediator.
A source told People that the filing is “super amicable.”
A separate insider added, “They always planned to divorce despite what people said. If you look at their first statement it says divorce not separate. They just did it the way they wanted to and did what was best for their kids. There was no catalyst, it was just time. Nothing has changed, they are and still will be putting their kids first.”
In June 2015, Affleck and Garner, both now 44, announced that they were divorcing after 10 years of marriage.
“After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce,” they said in a joint statement. “We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time. This will be our only comment on this private, family matter. Thank you for understanding.”
Both Jen and Ben continued to co-parent despite initial drama surrounding their split (reports claimed that the Justice League star was unfaithful with the couple’s nanny). In the many months that followed, they were constantly spotted out together as a family, even going on family vacations. Affleck and Garner also had many parents-only outings, constantly sparking rumors that they were getting back together.
In March, reports surfaced that the couple was back on. “Jen has called off the divorce,” a source close to Garner told People. “She really wants to work things out with Ben. They are giving things another try.”
One week later, Affleck revealed that he had successfully completed treatment for alcohol addiction.
“I want to live life to the fullest and be the best father I can be. I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “I’m lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I’ve done the work I set out to do. This was the first of many steps being taken towards a positive recovery.”
Neither Affleck nor Garner has commented yet regarding the decision to officially divorce.
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