Here’s a reminder not to judge a legal case before all the facts are in: According to recent reports by the celebrity website TMZ.com and the American Bar Association’s ABA Journal, Mel Gibson’s ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva has had 40 lawyers so far during the course of the couple’s child custody dispute.
Mel Gibson and Oksana Grigorieva have been involved in a highly publicized child custody battle since earlier this year, when someone released recorded telephone calls where Mel Gibson allegedly engaged in abusive tirades and made veiled threats against Grigorieva.
Monday morning October 18, Grigorieva appeared in court with a new lawyer, her 40th attorney in the child custody case and related legal hearings. She has reportedly racked up more than $1 million in legal bills — and submitting them to Gibson for payment.
Several Firms Have Assigned Multiple Lawyers to Grigorieva’s Cases
One firm has assigned 18 lawyers to Grigorieva’s various legal battles against Gibson, which involve child custody and visitation decisions regarding the couple’s daughter as well as a protective order and ongoing allegations of domestic abuse. Another law firm has assigned eight separate attorneys to collaborate on representing Grigorieva.
One of Grigorieva’s attorneys is working pro bono because she “because she felt it was important to support [an alleged] domestic abuse victim.”
Ironically, the lawyer who appeared with Grigorieva on October 18 is the only family law attorney currently working for her. All of the other family law practitioners she has hired have either quit or been fired.
Sources:
- ABA Journal, “Mel Gibson’s Ex Hires 40th Lawyer, Even Though One Is Already Working for Free,” Sarah Randag, October 19, 2010
- TMZ.com, “Oksana — Russian Immigrant with 39 Lawyers” October 16, 2010
