Many California celebrities say they met their spouses on movie sets, which is where Kate Beckinsale met her now-former spouse back in 2003. The couple was together more than a decade when trouble arose in their relationship. Beckinsale’s spouse was seen around town with a famous fashion model. It appears that this may have been what led to their divorce.
Once Beckinsale and Wiseman set the wheels in motion to end their marriage, it took several years to finalize a settlement. They had not signed a prenuptial agreement, which many couples — including celebrities and non-celebrities — choose to do to avoid complications down the line if a divorce occurs. In this case, both spouses agreed to waive a right to spousal support.
Beckinsale reportedly requested to retain possession of all her jewelry and personal effects. She also wanted to keep all earnings she acquired after separating from her husband. California operates under community property laws in divorce, which means the court typically splits all marital assets and debt equally between spouses. This sometimes leads to one spouse’s attempt to hide assets from the court in order to gain the upper hand in property division proceedings.
Doing so is illegal and can lead to a California family law judge holding the offending spouse in contempt of court. Beckinsale and Wiseman have apparently finally resolved all issues, four years after their initial divorce petition was filed. A concerned spouse who wishes to pursue a balanced and comprehensive settlement will likely benefit by consulting with an experienced family law attorney before heading to court.
