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Nick Lachey Responds To Jessica Simpson's Divorce Petition
02/21/2006 11:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
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Nick Lachey has filed his response to Jessica Simpson's divorce petition, claiming a different date of separation, and reserving the right to ask for spousal support. Since the couple had no prenuptial agreement, any income they received while married is considered community property, which they are supposed to split down the middle.
In her original petition, filed on December 16th, Jessica claims that the couple separated on November 23rd. In his response, Nick claims the date was on December 13th. According to TMZ.com, Jessica received $850,000 for a performance at a private concert in Cincinnati on December 5th, which means that Nick could get half if the court rules his separation date is correct. Sources say that Jessica moved out of the couple's home on December 13th and that she and Nick were emailing one another through that date.
In her petition, Jessica asked that Nick not receive spousal support. In his response, Nick reserved the right to ask for spousal support, but he did not ask the court to rule out Jessica receiving support from him.
Nick asked for miscellaneous jewelry and personal effects in his response to Jessica's divorce filing, but there's one item he's not asking for. Sources in Nick's camp told a senior editor at People magazine that he isn't planning to ask Jessica to return the 3.5-carat diamond engagement ring he bought her.
It turns out that it was Jessica's father and manager, Joe Simpson, who talked Jessica out of signing a pre-nuptial agreement. Nick wanted a pre-nup, and Jessica agreed to it at first but ended up not signing it. At the time, Jessica wasn't making as much money as Nick. Now it's the other way around and, without a pre-nup, Jessica could be ordered to give Nick millions.
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