Posted Apr 17th 2009 5:20PM by TMZ Staff
UPDATE: 7:16 PM ET We just got the papers Mel's lawyer filed with the court, in which he said Mel believes he "cannot have a fair and impartial trial or hearing before Judge Ongkeko." The case has now been removed to Judge Frederick Shaller, but expect the whole case to be handled by a "private judge" -- and that should happen soon.
Mel Gibson already has issues with his divorce -- at least his lawyer does.
We've learned ... Bob Kaufman, Mel's attorney, filed legal papers yesterday to boot the judge from the case -- Hon. Rafael Ongkeko. Each side is entitled to ding a judge from hearing the case, but that can only be done in the first 10 days. Your move Laura Wasser.
Here's the reality. The chances that a judge in the L.A. County Courthouse will actually hear Mel's divorce case are slim to none. That's because both Kaufman and Wasser almost always get a "private" judge to hear their high-profile cases, away from the public glare.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Mel Gibson
Tags: affair, celebrity divorce, celebrity support, CelebrityDivorce, divorce, drunk driving, DrunkDriving, laura wasser, LauraWasser, malibu, mel, mel and robyn gibson, mel gibs, mel gibson, mel gibson community property, mel gibson divorce, mel gibson divorce mel gibson dui, mel gibson dui, MelGibson, MelGibsonCommunityProperty, MelGibsonPrenuptial, MelGibsonsPrenup, MelGibsonsWife, spousal support, SpousalSupport
Posted Apr 13th 2009 5:41PM by TMZ Staff
Mel Gibson has filed his response to wife Robyn's divorce petition -- and it only took a matter of hours.
Gibson, unlike his wife, gives a specific date of separation -- the papers say the date is August 26, 2006. The date is hugely significant -- Mel's infamous DUI arrest was less than a month earlier -- July 28, 2006. Gibson cited irreconcilable differences.
As we reported, Robyn and Mel grew apart after the arrest. The date Gibson lists for separation confirms this.
Gibson also lists "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the divorce.
Gibson is repped by prominent divorce lawyer Robert Kaufman, whose celeb clients include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson and Reese Witherspoon.
Story developing
Filed under: Mel Gibson, Dirty Divorces
Tags: celebrity divorce, celebrity support, CelebrityDivorce, divorce papers, DivorcePapers, laura wasser, LauraWasser, mel and robyn gibson, mel gibson, mel gibson divorce, mel gibson dui, mel gibson prenuptial, mel gibson spousal support, mel gibsons prenup, mel gibsons wife, MelAndRobynGibson, melgibosn, MelGibson, MelGibsonDivorce, MelGibsonDui, MelGibsonPrenuptial, MelGibsonsPrenup, MelGibsonsWife
