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Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck on Tuesday without a legal representative. Joe and Cheryl Dillon, relationship experts at Equitable Mediation, stated in an interview with The Mirror that an attorney is not needed for divorce in the United States. They mentioned that Jennifer may not have opted for a legal representative because there was nothing to argue. In another report by PEOPLE, Matrimonial partner Marilyn Chinitz said that the Atlas actor she simply wanted to get it done. (Also read: Jennifer Lopez’s ex-fiancé Alex Rodriguez shares cryptic note on Instagram after Bennifer divorce)
Jennifer had ‘nothing to argue’ on split with Ben
Joe and Cheryl, while reflecting on Jennifer’s split with Ben pointed out, “What most people don’t know is that you don’t need a lawyer to get a divorce in the United States. Certainly some people choose to involve them, but there are other non-attorney options as well. There may not be a lot to argue about, and therefore, Jennifer may not have felt the need for further legal representation. If there are any issues that do need to be resolved, they could do so with the help of a neutral third-party mediator.”
They further said, “Certainly, after the mediator helps them negotiate an agreement, they could each have their respective counsel review it. Perhaps Jennifer simply didn’t feel the need to involve attorneys. That’s her decision to make.”
Jennifer Lopez wanted to ‘get it done’ on her own
While speaking to PEOPLE, Marilyn Chinitz, matrimonial partner at Blank Rome LLP, while discussing Jennifer’s decision to file without counsel, what is known as pro se, “I think that she most likely just wanted to get this done, (that) there was a lot of hesitation and hemming and hawing back and forth, and it’s a statement, ‘I’m moving forward, I’m filing and I’m doing it on my own.’”
Jennifer Lopez-Ben Affleck relationship history
Jennifer and Ben reignited their romance in 2021 and tied the knot in a private Las Vegas wedding in July 2022. In August 2022, they held a second wedding ceremony in Georgia. The Atlas actor filed for divorce on their second wedding anniversary. Jennifer’s love story with Ben began over 20 years ago when the two first started dating in 2002, got engaged the same year, and then parted ways for the first time in 2004.
Jennifer stated in her petition filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court that the separation date was April 26, 2024. Apparently, the ex-couple spent their summer living apart.
