Pennsylvania residents may recall that, at one time, it was possible that media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his soon-to-be ex-wife Wendi Deng would have a very public divorce. However, they recently in court to announce that they had settled their issues and were ready to proceed with the divorce. The court hearing to end their marriage lasted only about 10 minutes.
The couple had both prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, but a large point of contention was the fact that Deng’s two children with Murdoch would not be given voting stakes in Murdoch’s media empire. Reportedly, this made Deng angry enough to derail any chance of an amicable ending of their marriage. However, it is said that her children do have the same economic stakes as Murdoch’s four other children who do have voting rights. Custody arrangements and differences regarding the couple’s homes were also said to have been sticking points.
Fortunately, it seems that Murdoch and Deng were able to work through these issues and reached a settlement, the terms of which are to remain private. Nevertheless, sources indicate that Deng received the couple’s New York apartment, worth nearly $44 million, since it is the children’s primary residence. The parties seem committed to making their children happy.
Many Pennsylvania residents getting a divorce may feel the same way. Children are often an incentive for parents to resolve their differences without courtroom drama. An amicable divorce may be less traumatic for any children who are already having to deal with a multitude of changes and the emotions that go along with them. Committing to do what is necessary to ensure an easy transition for the children may be just the motivation parents need to get through the divorce process with a minimum of confrontations — and that is likely as true for parents who have accumulated millions of dollars worth of assets as it is for others with more modest property division issues.
Source: New York Daily News, Rupert Murdoch reaches divorce settlement with third wife, Wendi Deng Murdoch??, Barbara Ross and Corky Siemaszko, Nov. 20, 2013
