This is a rather uncomfortable story because it involves divorce and the breaking up of a familyand things are starting to get messy. As Kaiser discussed in June, Jane Lynch and her spouse of three years, Dr. Lara Embry, filed for divorce. The two married on Memorial Day in 2010 in Massachusetts, and it was a pretty big deal because Jane was an outspoken advocate for gay marriage rights.
Sadly, I think people are beginning to realize that no matter what one’s sexual persuasion happens to be, marriage can be difficult to maintain. This is particularly sad because Jane was step mother to Lara’s daugher, Haden Collette Ryan-Embry. While Lara cannot ask for child support for her daughter, she has asked the court for spousal support, and Jane has already preemptively fought against such a request. Uh-oh:
Jane Lynch’s estranged wife Lara Embry is asking for attorney fees to be paid for by the Glee star, along with spousal support.
Lynch, 53, who has been separated from Embry since February, had sought in divorce papers to terminate the court’s jurisdiction to award spousal support to her ex. Embry’s requests came in her response filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Lynch said in July that their breakup is “not dramatic,” adding, “It’s not a horrible thing. … It’s two people who just decide it’s better to go apart than stay together.”
The actress wed the psychologist in Massachusetts in May 2010 and filed for domestic partnership in California days later.
[From People]
Basically, this divorce is getting ugly, and as much as celebrities always like to claim their splits are “amicable,” that’s obviously not the truth in most cases. This case is quite different than Melissa Ethridge’s infamous child support battle with Tammy Lynn, but it still looks bad that Jane thinks her soon-to-be-ex-wife doesn’t deserve anything at all.
At this point in her career, Jane certainly makes a lot more money than Lara, so I would hope that Jane at least has to help out with Lara’s attorney fees. As for spousal support, they probably haven’t been married long enough (there’s usually a mythical 10-year requirement to satisfy) to warrant such an award, but a judge has discretion to award support. I hope this case gets resolved quickly and without too much drama.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet
In most states it doesn’t matter if the spouse makes MORE $. What matters is if by comparison the lesser earning spouse can’t afford a lawyer from his/her own resources. She’s a doctor. So figure that in y’all before ragging on Jane.
Wheres the childs other parent?
Not that it matters, ethically speaking. If you have lived with a child as a parental figure and you loved that child, why play games over cash?
This isn’t about child support, but spousal support: a whole different ball game.
Its “spousal support” only because the ex cant file for child support. Its “spousal support” in name but its sealing the child support vaccuum.
She shouldn’t have to seal that vacuum. Unless she adopted them, they aren’t her kids – even if she does love them. If the doctor wants a sugarmomma, she should keep on looking, imo.
i dont think the child will suffer by only being supported by a doctor
she didnt adopt her, there is no obligation legally or ethically
Agree with you, Lola.
Some doctors make < six figures. I would imagine that Jane probably makes at least an order of magnitude more than her ex. This is part of getting divorced – for better or worse, that's what she signed up for.
I haven’t read all of the comments.
Having a Ph.D behind your name as a psychologist does not necessarily guarantee large money.
There is a multitude of factors:
1. How long has she been practicing?
2. Does she practice within a group or alone?
3. Does she rent or own the space she practices within?
4. Many other factors.
I speak of this personally. When I received my Ph.D and my license for the state that I practice in, everyone was under a;n assumption that the large dollars came within a few years. I worked on research projects (with federal funding stopping and starting), worked within a large group at the University I attended to receive my Ph.D.
I’m in my early 40’s. I now practice with a psychiatrist and M.S. I rent my space. I often work six days a week. I’m on call often. I am the captain of my own ship however and can take time for vacation but it’s juggle to do that even for more than a couple of days.
I also volunteer for a non profit and provide counseling for the those in need of therapy but cannot afford it.
I take insurance. Many psychologists and psychiatrists do not. They do not want the hassle of dealing with insurance companies and fighting for amount of sessions per year and the list goes on….
Of the situation between the two, it’s sad when any seemingly happy couple breaks up but we don’t know the underlying reasons. I feel for the children who have most likely developed an attachment to Jane and vice versa.
Relationships and marriage are work at times. I hope the two can come to a mutual agreement in private that is workable for both parties.
The idea is that usually the stay-at-home parent has given up career and financial opportunities in order to act as the support person in the household. For this they need to be compensated.
In other words, the money earning parent doesn’t get to suck up the life of the stay at home parent in order to have their children raised and have someone as their personal assistant and then get to discard them like nothing ever happened.
Given that she’s a successful doctor and no one gave up any career for the other, seems like they should both just leave with what they came into it with.
She had the kids with her former partner so I assume there’s shared custody and support. That isn’t a part of this divorce, other than it being sad for the kids.
Ex is a Dr. who was already living swank in Sarasota. The kids are not Jane’s. Let move along folks. Cause this gold-digger don’t hunt.
Mmmm. And the marriage only made it less than 3 years
Attorney fees. Yes. Spousal support? No way. This is a completely different situation than the Melissa Etheridge debacle. Jane was only a stepmother.
you never know who you were married to until you divorce them
I don’t think her soon to be ex is entitled. I think it kind of sounds like a desperate money grab on the Dr.’s part.. having become accustomed to the perks of being on the arm of a celebrity, etc.
+1000
Most of the time, I believe spousal support is not necessary, and looks like revenge, but I can think of a couple cases where some would be appropriate.
Sometimes one spouse will support the other spouse while s/he is finishing up education and building a career. In that case, the first spouse has contributed to that career, and may be entitled to some of the fruits of it. I’m thinking of a person who helped put someone through med school, for example – especially if s/he sacrificed obtaining an education and real career for him/herself.
And in the case of women like my aunts, their economic contributions to the household as stay-at-home moms are real. Their families could not have had the standard of living they had without all the home baking, gardening, sewing, etc. that cut the bills way down. But, they don’t have any formal training that would get them a job that would support them. And now they’re at retirement age anyway. They don’t have enough working years left to establish any kind of pension. If they were to divorce, they would need spousal support to avoid destitution. (Thankfully, this is not actually happening)
Welcome to the wonderful world of marriage and divorce! I think she does owe some form of support…perhaps a lump sum award? There’s also the issue of the marital home, which is usually sold and split between the two or an equalization payment is made to whomever moves out.
I don’t think this Lara Embry is entitled to a dime of spousal support. She has a career that pays well and all she’s doing here is making herself look like a greedy and grasping opportunist. I hope the Judge dismisses her request.
In the future I hope Jane keeps her significant others in their own residences and stays away from marriage contracts – not needed and can be very detrimental to anyone with considerable means.
So because this woman worked to be a doctor, and continues to practice, she should not be entitled to spousal support. However, if Jane had married some arm candy who is unemployed and only job was being a celebrity spouse/girlfriend, that would be different? Odd priorities.
Same sex,same problems
As opposed to non-same sex couples, who presumably have differing problems but still get divorced all the time? I don’t get what you are trying to say here.
She trying to say that everyone no matter what their orientation is has the same problems. Don’t make it more than what it is
It’s entirely possible Jane’s spouse gave up work or moved to spend more time with Jane, the higher earning spouse who probably travels alot for work. She should be compensated for that for a time until she gets herself back up and running.
In California usually spousal support is ordered for half the length of the marriage. So if they were married three years, the non-working partner would get spousal support for 1.5 years. It’s supposedly to give the non working spouse time to get a job and be able to fully support themselves… As a divorced woman I think it’s very helpful, because when you’ve been a stay-at-home mom for years and suddenly you have to go get a job, it can be difficult funding something when there’s a big blank spot in your résumé!
I think that’s very fair when one party stays home to raise children. In this case though, they both have successful careers and no children together.
I can see dividing up assets acquired during the marriage, but don’t know why spousal support is needed here.
You are spot on Lucy
I get spousal support from my STBX because we have a severely disabled son. I haven’t worked since 1999 because I was raising the children and now at 51 am nowhere near able to make the same sort of money that my ex does. I moved all over the world to enhance his career and I DO believe he owes me!!! My spousal support is 5 x my child support …
i don’t want to be a pessimist but I think there will be a lot of same s*x divorces in coming years. Because as they (finally) get equal rights there is all the excitement and they jump into marriage because they can and maybe they do it without thinking whether they should.
I say this as a person with a lot of gay friends and two of them just got engaged (even though gay marriage stupidly is illegal here) when I guarantee you the whole relationship will be over by the end of the year if not sooner
Why is this a “rather uncomfortable story”?
This blog is rife with stories like this, and there’s a fair amount of schadenfreude when stories like that get reported.