Jacksonville Divorce Lawyer Blog
Joe Francis, the infamous founder of the “Girls Gone Wild” brand, has announced his split to long-time girlfriend and wife (well not exactly), Christina McLarty, after seven short weeks of marriage. He released the following statement to Us Weekly:
“After careful and thoughtful consideration on both our parts, Christina and I have mutually decided to end our relationship. We entered into our relationship with love and it’s with love and kindness that we leave it. We wish each other the best for the future.”
The couple was married in November of 2010 after four years together. However, it is not through divorce that the couple will be ending their relationship. “There was no divorce and there will be no divorce because the couple was never legally married,” a publicist for Francis told RadarOnline.”
The catch is that the two were married during a lavish ceremony in Mexico where the civil ceremony has no legal effect in the United States. Since they never got a marriage license in the United States their marriage in Mexico is not legally recognized. This is one of the details that couples who plan on being married under the laws of the United States must pay close attention to if they want to benefit from the legal benefits of being married.
Of course, if you’re looking for a quick marriage, this may be the safest route.
If you have questions about marriage laws or divorce, contact a Florida Family Law Attorney