They've bickered over whether she knew he was gay, whose tell-all book would sell better, whether a poster of a nude man hanging over his new lover's bed had to come down before she'd allow their 6-year-old to visit.
Divorce has been exceptionally bitter for former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey and his wife, Dina Matos McGreevey. Unless they can resolve the custody and money issues that have arisen since their acrimonious parting, the state's estranged former first couple is heading for a May trial.
The pair split three months after he came out on live television, saying he had a gay affair with an ex-staffer and that he would resign. On Friday they were in court for the umpteenth round in their drawn-out divorce proceeding, this time to fight about whether Matos McGreevey has to cooperate the experts he hired to bolster his claim for shared custody.
Celebrity divorce lawyer Raoul Felder, whose list of clients includes exes of Mike Tyson and Liz Taylor, doubts that the former governor and his wife will follow the script of the 95% of divorcing spouses who settle their cases before trial.
''She is a betrayed spouse, but worse,'' said Felder, who is not involved in the McGreevey case. ''He turned away from her for a member of his own sex; it was even more insulting because she was made a public fool. She feels as if she was used and this is payback time.''
The McGreeveys were married in October 2000 and split in November 2004, when they left the governor's mansion in Princeton and began living apart. As of February, they've been separated with the intention of divorcing for three years and three months -- nearly as long as the marriage.
After the breakup he wrote a tell-all book, then went on The Oprah Winfrey Show and acknowledged having a gay tryst while his wife was in the hospital giving birth to their daughter, Jacqueline. She followed with a tell-all book of her own, and they argued over whose would sell more copies.
On custody, their lawyers -- he's on his third, she's kept the same one throughout -- have squabbled over all sorts of issues. Matos McGreevey has complained about artwork in her husband's home, demanding that one nude photograph be removed, and arguing that Jacqueline should not be allowed to sleep in her father's bed.
McGreevey, who is studying to be an Episcopal priest, wants to keep his daughter for overnight visits on a school night and wants to take her to Episcopal services when she's with him.
The couple once rushed to court days before McGreevey was set to throw Jacqueline a birthday bash because his wife argued it wasn't his weekend for visitation.
''Mr. McGreevey is extremely hopeful that in Jacqueline's best interest her mother will relent in her so far obstinate refusal to consent to true joint custody of this child, which would allow Jacqueline to have the benefits of a deep and bonded relationship with both of her parents,'' said Stephen P. Haller, McGreevey's lawyer.
The bickering also involves money: Matos McGreevey claims he isn't living up to his earning potential as a licensed attorney. She also insists his live-in boyfriend, Mark O'Donnell, should have to disclose his finances and business dealings.
Matos McGreevey lives in a modest home in Springfield. She is an executive with Columbus Hospital but likely will lose her job in the spring, when the hospital is slated to close. Matos McGreevey and her lawyer, John Post, did not return messages seeking comment.
Like other divorces, it's also been expensive: McGreevey said his legal expenses have topped $400,000 so far and that they easily could double before the divorce is final. (Angela Delli Santi, AP)
These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.
Be the first to comment on this story.
If you would like to submit a comment for posting, please fill out the form above.
All comments submitted via this form are subject to posting or publication. (To send a private letter to an Advocate editor or writer, please use the e-mail button at the top of the page, or use snail mail.) If you would like your comment considered for publication in The Advocate magazine, please include your full name, your city of residence, and a phone number where you can be reached during business hours so that we can confirm your identity. Your e-mail address and telephone number are strictly confidential and will not be shared or used for any purpose other than to contact you about your comment.
Comments that do not concern specific articles in The Advocate or on Advocate.com will not be posted or published. See the Contact page for sending comments for reasons other than responding to Advocate editorial and news stories.
Please note that comments sent by fax or snail mail are unlikely to be posted, although they will be considered for publication along with all letters received via e-mail or via this Web page. Comments that chiefly concern Advocate.com content will be considered for posting only on the Web site. The Advocate reserves the right to edit submitted comments for grammar, spelling, obscenities, or libel; we will, however, do our best to preserve the original comment's style and intent. Comments considered for publication in The Advocate magazine may also be edited for length.
Home | Contact | Current Issue | LGBT Community Partners | Staff
Advertise With Us | Jobs | Help
Subscribe: Print Edition Digital Edition | Subscriber Services: Print Edition Digital Edition
Visit our Websites
Out.com | OutTraveler.com | HIVPlusMag.com | Alyson.com | Gay.com | PlanetOut.com
Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Community Guidelines | Legal Notice
Advocate.com © 2008 PlanetOut Inc. All Rights Reserved.
