As a couple, social media influencer/former assistant to Paris Hilton/law student Kim Kardashian and musician/business mogul/failed presidential candidate Kanye West are a match made in heaven. They both like the same things: fame, riches, and public adoration. Sadly, they are getting divorced, which means there are going to be some very busy family law attorneys in the Golden State.
We have more than just a passing interest in how KimYe’s dissolution of marriage case is going to play out because we are family law attorneys. Also, imagining that we are representing a celebrity in a divorce case is a sport we like to play occasionally.
Whether you’re simply curious about how a high-profile divorce case like this works or are a fan of either celeb, you might have questions for which we have answers.
Would the publicity-loving couple want to keep their divorce private?
Kanye West is a world-famous attention-seeker and so is his other half. This is why Kim has a best-selling book of selfies and why the world knows they live in a museum-like mansion with minimalist aesthetics. This is also why, during this difficult time, certain people are asking that Kim and Kanye be given the privacy they need to make a reality TV show and an album about the split. The big question is: do they want privacy?
The odds are great that both of them would find a way to utilize the attention they will garner from their split. After all, it could provide material for their respective artistic endeavors. Kanye could use it to make music (a divorce-themed album is probably in the works right now). Meanwhile, the team behind Kim and the rest of the K-Klan’s reality TV show Keeping Up With the Kardashians (KUWTK) is rumored to be working on a season finale centered around the divorce.
Keeping the details of a divorce private is ideal because, for one, privacy is precious. When it’s a celebrity divorcing, both parties usually want to keep it highly confidential to avoid generating unwanted publicity, especially if kids are involved.
Despite the fact they thrive off attention, Kim and Kanye will probably prefer to keep their divorce private because they have very young children. As they’re both filthy rich, they can hire private judges in California and pay all the money that having a quiet divorce could afford.
Did they sign a prenuptial agreement?
Kanye and Kim are business-savvy celebrities, and neither were foolish or reckless enough to not sign a prenuptial agreement before getting married in 2014. So of course, they signed a prenup to protect their respective assets.
Related reading: Saying I do (or I don’t) to a prenuptial agreement: the basics
But having a prenup doesn’t mean valuing and splitting assets would be a breeze. Mr. West’s massive fortune is generated from his apparel and footwear brand Yeezy, luxury vehicle collection, real estate properties, and livestock. Assets associated with his music, including royalties and other revenue streams from his music’s streams would also be considered in the marital property division.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kardashian makes money out of her make-up line KKW Beauty, her KUWTK payments, and various modeling gigs. They allegedly have a bathroom sink worth $30,000 in their Calabasas mansion, and disputing that would certainly be no less ridiculous than disputing assets like a used refrigerator or massage chair. One thing’s for certain: Mr. West couldn’t accuse her of being a gold digger.
Would custody negotiations be high-conflict or smooth-sailing?
The exes are aiming for joint legal and physical custody of their children, North (7), Saint (5), Chicago (2), and Psalm (20 months).
In Washington State, the factors considered in child custody negotiations typically include things like the children’s relationship with the parents, their developmental and emotional needs, and their parents’ work schedules. These will most certainly be considered when deciding custody of KimYe’s kids, as well.
However, custody negotiation could be complicated because Mr. West or ‘Yeezy’/’Ye’/’Yeezus’, as he is called by fans, is a musician who has a presumably hectic work schedule. For example, he may go on a world tour in the future (the coronavirus pandemic notwithstanding), which might make taking care of kids tricky.
Mr. West’s bipolar disorder diagnosis could also potentially affect child custody negotiations should Ms. Kardashian bring that up as an issue. That could then result in a contested custody matter and might move Mr. West to pose this question to his ex, “How could you be so heartless?” To make custody negotiation conflict-free, it would be best if they cooperate.
In conclusion, KimYe’s lawyers are going to be very busy
Kim and Kanye are masters at monetizing their fame. But as the ongoing pandemic dismantles the cult of celebrity, the general public may not be so riveted by the developments of an ongoing high-profile celebrity divorce such as theirs. It’s safe to assume, however, that their divorce would only be as public or as private as they both want it. In any case, their lawyers are going to have their hands full and so will their PR machines.
Family law attorneys Buckingham, LaGrandeur, & Williams handle dissolution of marriage cases in the Evergreen State, and we do it strictly personal, private, and conflict-free. Call our Renton offices at 425-250-9661 or leave us a message.