The recently concluded child custody trial involving the two young sons of internationally known Atlanta R&B singer Usher Raymond and his former spouse, Tameka Foster, spotlights a number of family law issues that are potentially relevant to couples who have gone through a divorce.
The couple was married in Georgia and divorced after two years of matrimony in 2009. They have two young sons, one a three-year-old and the other a year older. Foster also had a son from a prior marriage who died recently at age 11 following a brain injury he sustained after being struck by a watercraft while swimming.
Raymond and Foster executed a co-parenting agreement concerning their two sons at the time of their divorce, but Raymond filed a court petition seeking to have that prior agreement rescinded, alleging that his ex-wife was violating its terms and not fit as a parent.
Specifically, Raymond has told a Fulton County judge that his former spouse has interfered with his visitation rights to see his sons as agreed between the couple. Raymond now seeks sole custody of the two boys.
Tameka Foster denies Raymond’s charges, stating that a few acknowledged problems with visitation scheduling recently have been simple misunderstandings related to her being preoccupied with the injury and subsequent death of her older child. She told the judge last week that she “begged” Raymond to withdraw his petition many times, based on her view that the couple’s children are productive and happy.
Closing arguments in the hearing were held last Thursday. The court is expected to issue a final custody ruling soon.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Usher, ex-wife resume custody fight,” Fran Jeffries, Aug. 14, 2012
