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MLB shortstop and wife fuel divorce fire over jurisdiction

On Behalf of | Aug 16, 2017 | Divorce

Sports fans in Pennsylvania who follow the personal lives of their favorite superstars know many who get married do not stay married. A divorce for those who fit in that category can sometimes be difficult, as they rarely play for a team based in their home state. Such is the case for MLB shortstop, Addison Russell, and his estranged wife.

Russell and Melisa Reidy-Russell have been married just over a year and a half and have a 1-year-old son together. Russell had filed for divorce in his home state but did not inform his wife. She was not served with papers until a week after he filed, during which time she herself had filed and had Russell served. On advice from his attorney, Russell wants to wait until after baseball season is over before proceeding with further action, although Reidy-Russell’s attorney has attempted communication on Russell’s days off. 

Attorneys for both parties are working to decide in which state the trial will take place. Russell wants the court in his home state and the state in which Reidy-Russell resides, while she wants proceedings to take place where his current team is based. Reasons for the jurisdictional tug of war are not known but may have something to do with a state advantage in putting money toward the child’s college education.

There can be a multitude of decisions that must be made in the wake of a divorce. Often, the couples themselves have difficulty with that task. Pennsylvania family law attorneys can answer questions and provide direction to make the life transition go as smoothly as possible.

Source: Chicago Tribune, “Addison Russell seeking to hold off divorce case until after season“, Phil Thompson, Aug. 9, 2017

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