Fantasia Barrino

Fantasia Barrino is an American singer who has been involved in a number of separate legal disputes. One of her first major legal problems occurred in September of 2006, following the 2005 publication of her memoir "Fantasia: Life Is Not A Fairy Tale." In the book, Fantasia Barrino stated that, among other things, her father Joseph prioritized her musical pursuits over her education and often asked for money when visiting. In response, her father filed a lawsuit seeking $10 million from publisher Simon & Schuster for libel. No public resolution to this trial was reported.

In 2008, one of her houses was almost foreclosed upon. Fantasia Barrino had taken out a $68,000 loan from Broward Energy Partners, which had paid that sum to cover her taxes owed. After only receiving $10,000 in repayment, Broward sued. The house was transferred to the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office for foreclosure in January of 2009. However, a private settlement agreement was reached before this took place.

In August 2010, Fantasia Barrino was named in a lawsuit filed by Paula Cook, who was divorcing her husband Antwaun. In her complaint, she said that Fantasia Barrino had knowingly begun with an adulterous relationship with her husband, and that she and her husband had only separated in June of 2010. The complaint also alleged that Fantasia Barrino had filmed sex tapes with her husband. After reading the complaint against her, Fantasia Barrino issued a statement saying that all the allegations against her were false. Following the complaint, Fantasia Barrino attempted suicide but successfully recovered.

During the divorce hearings of November 2010, Fantasia Barrino was required to appear in court to testify. During her testimony, she said that she had become pregnant with Antwaun's child and received an abortion on her own initiative. She also testified that Antwaun had told her he was separated from his wife when they began a relationship that lasted 11 months. The judge ruled in her favor after investigations determined that Antwaun and Paula Cook had separated in September of 2009, 10 months earlier than Paula Cook had claimed. This ruling precluded Paula Cook from filing suit under the Alienation of Affection Law, which permits lawsuits against those responsible for the failure of a marriage.

Following the divorce trial, Fantasia Barrino and Antwaun Cook continued their relationship. In 2011, Fantasia Barrino was preparing to star in a dramatic biographical drama about the singer Mahalia Jackson while pregnant with her second child. However, a report in the New York publication "The New York Post" alleged that the production company making the film was considering making the project with Fantasia Barrino in response to concerns from Jackson's relatives about how her affairs might tarnish the image of the singer and movie. The production company denied the statements, disclaiming responsibility for all statements made by an employee not authorized to speak about the project.

Overview of the Jason London Divorce

Born on November 7 of 1972, Jason London is an American actor, who is best known for his starriing role as Randall Floyd in the 1980’s classic Dazed and Confused. Following this role, London has sporadically earned parts in smaller films; however, London has recently been in the news as a result of his lengthy divorce with former wife Charlie Spradling.

Jason London married Spradling in November of 1999. The couple remained married until 2002, when the couple separated amidst rumors of infidelity on the part of London. Although this relationship seems like any other Hollywood romance, the London case is somewhat unique because the divorce was not finalized until a decade later. Spradling and London filed a no-contest divorce in a Los Angeles family court; however, the divorce was never finalized because the documents were not formally entered into the city’s court system. The divorce documents, were just recently filed, in March of 2011 in a Los Angeles Superior Court, effectively ending the marriage between London and Spradling. As a result of this lengthy delay, London was not allowed to officially re-marry until his previous marriage was either annulled or terminated through divorce. Problems arose because of this situation, due to London’s longtime relationship with girlfriend Sofia Karstens. When the divorce was finally formalized earlier this year, London then proposed to longtime girlfriend Sofia Karstens—the couple plans to officially marry in the summer of 2011.

The Plea of ‘No Contest’ within the Jason London Divorce:

An uncontested divorce is one in which both parties have reached a mutual agreement with regard to the reasons behind filing for divorce, as well as the placement of fault in conjunction to the breakdown of the marriage. In the case of the Jason London Divorce, both Jason London and Charlie Spradling opted to file for a divorce uncontested – or unchallenged – in nature, which retained the classification of the reason for the Jason London Divorce as a result, a bulk of celebrity couples undertaking divorce proceedings opt to either settle outside of court or file for divorce in an uncontested fashion in order to avoid potential media coverage and publicity.

The Terms of the Jason London Divorce Settlement:

A divorce settlement will typically include 3 primary facets with regard to the terms and conditions set forth by the presiding court official who was responsible for determining spousal support – in the form of alimony, child custody – and subsequent child support payments, and the division of assets. In the case of the Jason London Divorce, Jason London and Charlie Spradling undertook a settlement that offered Spradling sole legal and physical custody of the couple’s 15-year old daughter. In addition, London is ordered by the Los Angeles Superior Court to provide over $1,000 per month in the form of child support payments to Spradling. Although this fee seems somewhat large considering London’s relative dearth of wealth, neither side in the Jason London divorce settlement was ordered to pay spousal support.

Who is Kobe Bryant?

Born August 23, 1978 Kobe Bryan is an American professional basketball superstar who currently plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. Bryant, who was recognized as the nation’s top high school basketball player in 1996, skipped college to enter the NBA draft, where the future star was chosen 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets. Following this pick, Bryan was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Center Vlade Divac.

Kobe Bryant is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time; the explosive Bryant is a 5-time NBA champion, 2-time NBA Most Valuable Player Award winner, 13-time NBA All-Star and 2-time scoring champ. In addition to his enviable skill-set, Bryant is regarded as one of the fiercest competitors in sports; the Philadelphia native is often compared to Michael Jordan in regards to not only his style of play, but his unrivaled ferocity. Although this passion for the game ultimately has led to great success for Bryant, his competitive edge has also caused the star to fall in disfavor.

Kobe Bryant’s on-the-court Incident:

On April 12, 2011 while the Lakers were playing their rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, Bryant was called for a routine fall. Upset by the call, Bryant stormed to the bench in the midst of an expletive-filled tirade. As the camera panned to a clearly frustrated and angered Bryant, the star shouted a homophobic slur aimed at the referee who whistled the foul. The slur, which was not picked up in audio by cameras, was easy read as a result of the emphasis and anger which it was delivered. Although the commentators refrained from commenting on the slur, the footage hit the Internet the next day and immediately sparked uproar in the gay and lesbian community.

Jarret Barrios, President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, issued a response claiming that Bryant’s actions were deplorable and that the star needed to be held responsible. In response to the outrage, the National Basketball Association fined Bryant $100,000 for his hateful remarks. Following the fine, Bryan released a statement saying he didn’t mean to offend anyone when he used the homographic slur to express his frustration. In addition, Bryant promised to redeem himself in the gay and lesbian community by creating programs aimed to educate individuals against using hateful remarks.

The Kobe Bryant incident, regarding the use of homophobic rhetoric, was not viewed as a malicious nor desperate situation by his fellow peers. Numerous NBA players claimed that, between the lines, during the intensity of an NBA contest a lot of hateful remarks are said. Although these words, on their surface, appear debilitating, they are simply a part of a competitive culture and do not carry any hateful or prejudice undertones directed at a particular gender, race or sexual orientation.

Who is Lenny Dykstra?

Born February 10, 1963, Lenny Dykstra is a former Major League Baseball player, who is best known for his rugged style and clutch-performances with the New York Mets during the late 1980s and the Philadelphia Phillies throughout the early 90s. Although Dykstra enjoyed a successful Major League career, the star was forced to retire as a result of nagging injuries. Dykstra, who played his last season in 1996, attempted a comeback in 1998 before officially retiring at the age of 35. During his time in the Major League’s Dykstra was known as a hard-nosed competitor and rough personality; Dykstra was loved by teammates for his hustle, but was often criticized for his party-boy lifestyle. Following his retirement, Dykstra amassed a fortune through various investments in the stock market and in car washes.

During Dykstra’s retirement, the former baseball star managed a stock portfolio and served as president of his privately held companies, including a fueling facility, car washes, a real estate development company and a venture to develop several “I Sold it on EBay” stores. As a result of his initial success, Dykstra transformed into somewhat of a tall-tale; investors throughout the world were amazed how profitable his businesses were, considering the former star’s antipathy towards reading and education in general.

Lenny Dysktra would often appear on various Fox New Programs, picking stocks or offering insight regarding the stock market. During the peak of his business operation, Dykstra purchased Wayne Gretzky’s former home for $17 million in hopes of flipping it. Dykstra was unfortunately unsuccessful at selling the estate; the baseball star still owes more than $13 million on the house and has currently stopped paying its mortgage.

Lenny Dykstra Arrest and Bankruptcy:

In September of 2008, Dykstra started a high-end jet charter company and magazine marketed towards professional athletes, named Player’s Club. The publication was part of a business model to offer financial advice to professional athletes with information about his particular investment ideas. In early 2009; however, evidence piled-up indicating that Dykstra’s financial empire was merely a façade. An article in GQ, which was written by Kevin Coughlin, after the writer had spent nearly 3 months alongside Dykstra, depicted the star as fraudulent and revealed incidents accusing Dykstra of bounced checks, lawsuits, credit card fraud and Dykstra’s refusal to pay printing costs and other costs associated with the magazine.

In July 2009, Dykstra filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The star’s estimated net worth, which was at nearly $60 million in 2008, in his Bankruptcy filing listed roughly $50,000 in assets against nearly $50 million in liabilities. In connection with Dykstra’s bankruptcy filing, a court-appointed federal trustee charged the baseball player with lying under oath, improperly hiding and selling assets, as well as repeatedly acting in a “fraudulent and deceitful manner” during his ongoing case. The trustee continued by asking the bankruptcy court to deny Dykstra’s request to have his bankruptcy discharged.

On April 13, 2011 the former New York Met and Philadelphia Philly was arrested for investigation of grand theft—this arrest came one day after Dykstra was charged with a federal bankruptcy crime. The grand theft charged stemmed from suspicion of trying to buy a stolen car while the bankruptcy crime revolves from Dykstra’s plan to illegally sell the majority of his home’s furnishing to a consignment store. For this charge, Dykstra faces up to five years in federal prison.

Who is Nicolas Cage?

Born January 7, 1964 Nicolas Cage, born Nicolas Coppola, is an American actor, director and producer, who has appeared in over 60 films throughout his career, most notably Raising Arizona, Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, National Treasure, Con Air and Face/Off.

Nicolas Cage was born in Long Beach, California; his father, August Coppola, is the brother of legendary film director, Francis Ford Coppola. In addition to these ties, Cage’s family also includes actress Talia Shire, directs Roman and Sofia Coppola, film producer Gian-Carlo Coppola, and actors Jason Schwartzman and Robert Carmine. To avoid the presence of nepotism, the actor changed his name early in his career; the last name was inspired in part by the Marvel Comics superhero Luke Cage. Throughout Cage’s illustrious career, the actor has been nominated twice for an Academy Award, winning once for his performance in Leaving Las Vegas. Like so many successful actors, who have been fortunate enough to amass a fortune, Nicolas Cage has had legal troubles and numerous run-ins with the law.

Nicolas Cage Tax Problems:

Nicolas Cage has some unusual spending habits; the actor has purchased a number of castles and exotic pets, such as octopuses. In addition to his love for unique assets, Cage is also a prominent purchaser of real estate. Seemingly every year the actor buys and sells a massive lot of land.

On July 14, 2009, the Internal Revenue Service filed documents in connection with a federal tax lien against property owned by Cage in New Orleans, Louisiana concerning Cage’s unpaid federal taxes. The Internal Revenue Service alleged that Cage failed to pay over $6 million dollars in federal income tax for the 2007 taxable year. Furthermore, the Internal Revenue Service placed an additional lien of more than $350,000 in unpaid taxes, which dated from 2002 to 2004. In response to these liens, Cage filed a $20 million lawsuit, filed on October 16, 2009, against his business manager, Samuel Levin, claiming that Levin had failed to pay taxes when they were due and had placed Cage in risky real estate investments. Cage, who claimed his manager acted in severe negligence and fraudulent activities, is also facing separate lawsuits from Red Curb and East West Bank Investments for unpaid multimillion dollar loans.

In response to the suit filed against him, Levin filed a counter-complaint and responded by stating that he warned Cage that the actor was living beyond his means and urged him to spend less. Levin claimed that he advised Cage to forego his 15 real-estate purchases, his Gulfstream jet, a fleet of yachts, a squadron of Rolls Royces and to refrain from buying millions of dollars in jewelry and art. Although Cage remains one of Hollywood’s highest paid actors, earning more than $40 million per year, the star’s financial problems have raised concerns, especially in this economic environment.

Nicolas Cage Arrest:

On April 15, 2011, Nicolas Cage was arrested in New Orleans for suspicion of disturbing the peace, domestic battery abuse and public intoxication, after law enforcement agents were flagged down by onlookers who noticed Cage grab his wife’s upper arm while appearing under the influence. For this action, Cage was held in police custody until $11,000 bail was posted by his friend. Cage has been ordered to appear in court on May 31st.

Overview of the Cheech Marin Divorce

Born on July 13, 1946 Cheech Marin is American comedian and actor who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong, which wildly successful during the 1970s and early 80s. Marin, who has been married three times, wed Patti Heid in 1986, following the dissolution of the actor’s 1975 marriage to Darlene Morley—the co-producer of Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers.

Cheech Marin and Patti Heid had two children together, but terminated their marriage in 2010. The Cheech Marin Divorce marked the dissolution of the marriage between Pratt and Heid; the Cheech Marin Divorce has yet to be finalized as a result of the couple’s refusal to agree on the divorce settlement. Since the papers were filed, the Cheech Marin divorce has turned nuclear; Heid claims that Marin was physically and mentally abusive, while Cheech contests that he has transferred over an enormous amount of assets and property to Heid. Although a settlement was initially reached, Heid refuses to finalize the divorce and claim the property as a result of her allegations that Cheech was physically and emotionally violent during the couple’s marriage.

The Plea of ‘Contest’ and Challenge within the Cheech Marin Divorce:

An uncontested divorce is one in which both parties have reached a mutual agreement with regard to the reasons behind filing for divorce, as well as the placement of fault in conjunction to the breakdown of the marriage. In the case of the Cheech Marin Divorce, both Cheech Marin and Patti Heid seemed unable or unwilling to negotiate mutual terms of the divorce or reach an agreement upon the identification of fault. However, within the State of Claifornia, a contested – or challenged – divorce hearing allows for the release of certain details of the divorce settlement to be released into public record. Although Cheech Marin and Patti Heid presumably did not wish to have the details of the Cheech Marin Divorce released to the general public, the inability to arrive at a meeting of the minds earned the Cheech Marin Divorce a large amount of publicity at the time it occurred.

Following the refusal to accept the terms of the divorce settlement, Cheech Marin’s ex-wife filed a restraining order against the comedy star, after he allegedly threatened her. In addition to these threats, Heid claimed that Cheech had fractured her cheek, blackened her eye and violently choked her causing severe bruising on the neck area and significant numbing of the arms. In response to these claims, a California judge has rejected Heid’s claim for an immediate restraining order and has delayed the hearing till later this year. When the case is re-heard the Cheech Marin divorce and the transfer of assets will be finalized.

Who is Jon Bon Jovi?

Born on March 2, 1962 Jon Bon Jovi is an American musician, songwriter, singer, who is best known as the lead singer and founder of the hit rock group Bon Jovi. Throughout his illustrious career, Job Bon Jovi has released a total of eleven studio albums with his band and two solo albums; combined his musical efforts have sold over 130 million albums worldwide. Unfortunately, like so many other celebrities, the fame earned by Jon Bon Jovi throughout his career has elicited the attention of criminals, looking to capitalize on the star’s fortune.

Story of Jon Bon Jovi Robbed:

On April 3, 2011 the New Jersey mansion of Jon Bon Jovi was robbed of approximately $100,000 worth of jewelry. The suspect, Nicholas Tracy, who is 21 years of age, robbed a series of homes before being captured by local law enforcement agents on April 14, 2011 after he tripped an alarm at Bon Jovi’s neighbor’s house. When the law enforcement agents arrived at the scene, they found Tracy hiding in the bathroom.

The Jon Bon Jovi robbery, which occurred on April 3rd, at the musician’s 15-acre estate (valued at roughly $22 million), occurred when the rock star was not home. The thief stole an abundance jewelry, which belonged to the rocker’s wife, Dorothea Bongiovi. The mansion, located in Middletown, NJ is just 30 miles south of New York City. Before being taken down by local police, Tracy had stolen roughly $500,000 worth of goods from the New Jersey mansions.

Following the robbery, Bon Jovi issued a statement to the police citing which items were stolen and how upset he was over the fact that his wife’s belongings were victimized by a shameful crook. Thankfully for the star, Nicholas got greedy and attempted to rob a number of houses in Jon Bon Jovi’s neighborhood. During these subsequent attempts, the robber got sloppy and accidentally triggered an alarm, which immediately notified local police that a break-in was occurring. Nicholas, who was immediately arrested at the scene, was forced to turn over all of the items he stole—it is unclear whether the rocker recovered all of the stolen jewelry.

Nicholas Tracy is currently being held in the Monmouth County Jail on $100,000 bail. The 21-year old faces felony burglary charges and is likely to go to prison for his role in the Jon Bon Jovi robbery as well as the other robberies he undertook in the upper-class neighborhood.

Who is Sandra Bullock?

Born July 26, 1964 Sandra Bullock is an American Actress, who rose to worldwide fame after a starring role in the blockbuster hit Speed.  Since the 1993 thriller, Bullock has established her career with films such as Crash, The Blind Side and Miss Congeniality. Throughout her illustrious career, the actress has been awarded an Academy Award for Best Actress, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role—each award was given for her performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy in the cricitally acclaimed 2009 film The Blind Side.

Details Regarding the Sandra Bullock Adoption:

Sandra Bullock married motorcycle builder and reality television star Jesse James on July 16, 2005. The couple met when Bullock arranged for her then ten-year-old godson to meet James as a Christmas present. After 4 years of marriage, the couple dissolved their marriage in a nasty divorce proceeding, after Jesse’s extra-marital affairs were publicized, including a story which revealed that James had a child out of wedlock with pornographic actress Janine Linemulder. The stories of infidelity continued to develop following the divorce filing; in March 2010, a scandal arose when several women claimed to have had affairs with James during the couple’s marriage. On March 18, 2010 James responded to the media outcry by issuing a statement, asking for Bullock’s forgiveness.

Shocked by the numerous reports of infidelity and emotionally distraught from the divorce proceedings, Sandra Bullock announced on April 28, 2010 that she had proceeded with her initial plans to adopt a baby boy born in New Orleans. Bullock, who had begun the adoption process with her former husband (Jesse James) four years prior, went through with her promise and officially adopted the baby boy towards the latter portion of 2010. The adopted child began living with the actress in January of 2010; however, Bullock chose to keep the news (the adoption proceeding as well as the divorce) private until after the Oscars in March 2010.

Overview of the Tony Danza Divorce

Born April 21, 1950 Tony Danza is an Italian-American actor who is best known for starring on the hit TV series Who’s the Boss? For this role, Danza was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and one Emmy Award. Additionally, Danza won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series for his work on the sitcom The Tony Danza Show.

Shortly after graduating from college, Tony Danza was discovered by a television producer at a small boxing gymnasium in New York City. Following this encounter, Danza earned a spot on the television show Taxi, which ultimately propelled the actor into stardom. In 1986, following the acceptance of this role, Danza married for the second time, to Tracy Robinson. The couple separated in early 2006, but remained married until March 10, 2011, when the couple officially filed for divorce. The couple shares two daughters, Katherine and Emily.

The Tony Danza Divorce marked the dissolution of the marriage between Danza and Carpenter; the Tony Danza Divorce was filed in March 2011 and remains pending in the California Court System—the divorce proceedings will effectively end the 25 year marriage with Robinson. The couple has cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce and has asked the settlement as well as the proceedings to be kept private. Additionally, the custody issues revolving around their two daughters will be kept, for the most part, private.

The Plea of ‘No Contest’ within the Tony Danza Divorce:

An uncontested divorce is one in which both parties have reached a mutual agreement with regard to the reasons behind filing for divorce, as well as the placement of fault in conjunction to the breakdown of the marriage. In the case of the Tony Danza Divorce, both Tony Danza and Tracy Danza opted to file for a divorce uncontested – or unchallenged – in nature, which retained the classification of the reason for the Tony Danza Divorce as a result, a bulk of celebrity couples undertaking divorce proceedings opt to either settle outside of court or file for divorce in an uncontested fashion in order to avoid potential media coverage and publicity.

The Terms of the Tony Danza Divorce Settlement:

A divorce settlement will typically include 3 primary facets with regard to the terms and conditions set forth by the presiding court official who was responsible for determining spousal support – in the form of alimony, child custody – and subsequent child support payments, and the division of assets. As a result of the couple’s requrest to undergo a relatively private divorce settlement is unkown how the couple’s assets and children will be dived amongst the individuals. It is assumed; however, that considering Danza’s success and fortune, he will be required to provide spousal support for Robinson. Additionally, it is assumed, as a result of the couple’s amicable departure, that the two will share custody of their daughters.

Overview of the Justin Henin Divorce

Born on June 1, 1982 Justine Henin is a recently retired professional tennis player and former World number 1. Throughout her career, Henin has won 43 WTA singles titles and seven Grand Slam titles, including two US Open titles, one Australian Open title and four French Open titles. Henin is often cited for her mental toughness, her foot speed and the variety of game she sports.

On November 16, 2002, Justin Henin married Pierre-Yves in the Chateau de Lavaux-Sainte-Anne. The marriage remained steady until the early part of 2007, when Henin withdrew from upcoming tournaments in Australia, including the Australian Open, citing personal problems. Various media outlets claimed that Henin was going through marital problems and had initiated the divorce process to dissolve the marriage with Pierre. Following these reports, Henin later confirmed on her official website that she had officially separated from her husband and she resumed her maiden name, as oppose to Justine Henin-Hardenne.

 Justin Henin Divorce marked the dissolution of the marriage between Justin Henin and Pierre Yves; the Justin Henin Divorce was finalized in 2007, which ended the 5-yearlong marriage between the couple. Following the administration of the divorce, Justin Henin claimed that the imbalance in the couple’s relationship was simply too great; che claimed that Pierre did not have a role in the relationship. She went onto say that her entourage had offered him a job but he refused to accept the position.

The Plea of ‘No Contest’ within the Justin Henin Divorce:

An uncontested divorce is one in which both parties have reached a mutual agreement with regard to the reasons behind filing for divorce, as well as the placement of fault in conjunction to the breakdown of the marriage. In the case of the Justin Henin Divorce, both Pierre Hardenne and Justin Henin opted to file for a divorce uncontested – or unchallenged – in nature, which retained the classification of the reason for the Justin Henin Divorce as a result, a bulk of celebrity couples undertaking divorce proceedings opt to either settle outside of court or file for divorce in an uncontested fashion in order to avoid potential media coverage and publicity.

The Terms of the Justin Henin Divorce Settlement:

A divorce settlement will typically include 3 primary facets with regard to the terms and conditions set forth by the presiding court official who was responsible for determining spousal support – in the form of alimony, child custody – and subsequent child support payments, and the division of assets. In the case of the Justin Henin Divorce, Pierre Hardenne and Justin Henin undertook a settlement with a ^. In the State of !, there exists a statute that recognizes joint assets accrued by a couple subsequent to marriage as ‘community property’; community property was split upon the finalization of the Justin Henin Divorce – supplemental agreements with regard to the additional furnishing of assets or monies are typically kept private . The Justin Henin divorce settlement was unusually simple; the couple did not have any children together and Pierre did not possess the fortune of Justine. As a result of the couple’s financial discrepancies, Justine offered her ex-husband 6.5 million Euros for spousal support.