Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas have taken a significant step towards resolving their messy divorce case. In a recent development, their respective legal teams convened in a federal court in Manhattan to explore mediation as a means of settling their disputes.
Scheduled for a four-day duration, the mediation process will commence following the setting of a January 2 trial date by a federal judge.
The trial is aimed at determining whether Joe Jonas wrongfully withheld their children’s passports, a claim made by Sophie Turner, as it invoked international Hague Convention Treaty laws.
Turner’s lawyer, Stephen Cullen, expressed the intent to pursue an “amicable resolution” during the Manhattan-based mediation. On the other side, Jonas’ lawyer, Richard Min, echoed this sentiment, expressing optimism about the mediation process.
Legal experts point out the benefits of private mediation in a high-profile divorce case like this one. Mediation can help keep the matter out of the public eye and provide the estranged couple with the opportunity to work through their issues more discreetly.
L.A.-based family law specialist Steve Mindel hails mediations as “clearly a common way to make headlines disappear.”
“At this point, Joe and Sophie have to sit down and make a decision — and the mediator will help them make that decision — as to whether or not they want to really be public with this,” he explained.
The upcoming days will be intense for Turner and Jonas as they engage in negotiations, said Mindel.
“They start at 9 a.m. and if the mediator is making traction, you might go to 8, 9, or 10 o’clock at night. To do that four days in a row would be exhausting.” He added that “both Joe and Sophie are committing an amazing amount of resources to solve this.”
The mediator will address various crucial issues during the mediation, including custody arrangements and determining which jurisdiction will preside over the divorce proceedings.
Successful mediation could potentially avert the need for a Hague Convention trial and resolve the case amicably.
