Divorce Lawyer Breaks Down Meghan King And Jim Edmonds' Messy Split
It wasn't exactly shocking when Meghan King and Jim Edmonds split in 2019. This was after he got caught sexting another woman while Meghan gave birth to twins. That's not exactly the foundation for a lasting marriage, but their breakup really got ugly — and they're not even officially divorced yet. Surprisingly, the whole sexting fiasco wasn't the final straw that ended their marriage. Jim filed for divorce in October 2019, the day after their fifth wedding anniversary, according to Us Weekly. Soon, rumors swirled that Jim was having an affair with their nanny Carly Wilson, which she and Jim both denied.
And that was only the tip of the iceberg. In November 2019, Jim called the cops on Meghan after a night out. That same month, they were granted 50/50 custody of their three kids. In January 2020, Meghan said Jim was dating a woman they had a threesome with. Jim confirmed the threesomes with People, claiming that Meghan initiated them, only to backtrack on the comments in September 2020. Meghan said she feels "like a target" and even accused Jim of poisoning her former stepchildren against her. She also claimed that he secretly took his credit card out of her purse before surprising her with a divorce filing. No wonder Meghan eventually dropped the "Edmonds" from her name.
There's been a lot of mudslinging, but the divorce has definitely been the most heated when it comes to their child custody issues. Nicki Swift spoke to Dori Shwirtz, a divorce lawyer and mediator, to get an expert's opinion on the messy split.
Meghan King and Jim Edmonds should consider mediation
Divorce lawyer Dori Shwirtz tells Nicki Swift that Jim Edmonds and Meghan King could benefit from meditation to work out their ongoing issues. She explained, "Mediation gives the parties the opportunity to create their own agreements privately without having to wait for a Judge to make any decisions on some of the most intimate matters." Shwirtz added, "For celebs like Jim and Meghan this may be appealing to keep their dirty laundry amongst themselves," which is probably the most considerate thing to do for their children. She shared, "Many of my cases have been quite contentious – like Jim and Meghan – and we were still able to get through it and create a mutually satisfactory plan."
Considering that Jim was married twice before he got with Meghan, he should have some insight on divorce, Schwirtz pointed out. She remarked, "Jim has been around the block with a few divorces already under his belt. I would advise him to dig deep and remember what he learned from those past experiences."
When it comes down to it, Shwirtz said that Meghan and Jim are probably spending "thousands of dollars" and "wasting" money on attorneys when, in all likelihood, "they are going to end up in the same place in the end." Shwirtz suggested that they "consider using one of the many co-parenting apps out there for divorced parents" to facilitate a healthy co-parenting relationship.
Meghan King should learn a lesson from Tamra Judge
Divorce lawyer Dori Shwirtz emphasized to Nicki Swift that Jim Edmonds and Meghan King need to keep their priorities straight. "It's crucial that Jim and Meghan stop the 'noise' surrounding them with the media and dueling lawyers and just get down to the business of co-parenting," she advised. Shwirtz added, "No matter what happens, they are a family. They need to think about their three children and the impact their behavior is taking on the kids. The ramifications will have lifelong effects on them." They can start by "recognizing that they are both responsible in their own way for the position they are in today."
Shwirtz even suggested that "Meghan could get some good advice from her former co-star Tamra [Judge], who suffered for years in a toxic co-parenting relationship with her ex." In 2020, Tamra Judge and her ex-husband Simon Barney managed to get past their differences and focus on their children in the wake of his cancer battle. Hopefully, Jim and Meghan don't have to face a similar crisis to get past their struggles and co-parent effectively.
Meghan King and Jim Edmonds need to make a plan for their son
In October 2020, Meghan King revealed that her son Hart has cerebral palsy. Afterward, Jim Edmonds' representative told Us Weekly, "Jim is unaware of any such diagnosis and, if it is even true, it is completely unconscionable and absolutely disgraceful that Meghan would announce this on social media without discussing it with him first."
Divorce lawyer Dori Shwirtz told Nicki Swift, "Having a child with special needs requires tremendous coordination and teamwork between parents to ensure success." Although their split has been contentious, Shwirtz says, "The best thing they can do to get on the path to success is create a detailed parenting plan which would spell out their wishes for the kids. This would cover everything from their schedules, what are the parents' particular financial and decision making responsibilities and who gets them on holidays."
In regard to Hart, Shwirtz says they should create a "comprehensive outline on how they will handle [his] particular needs." She shared some specific questions they should answer: "Will one parent be responsible for making the major decisions about his care or will they do this jointly? Is it easier for one parent to have primary physical custody because it is more difficult to move the child frequently?"
Meghan and Jim also need to agree on a treatment plan, which would include "any changes in their son's care going forward." Despite the ugly split, Shwirtz declared, "I believe Meghan and Jim can make it work and that it's not too late."