What family lawyers think about the custody battle between Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas

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Divorce lawyers have commented on the ongoing divorce between Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and pop singer Joe Jonas after Turner sued her ex-husband to bring their two young children back to England from the US.

In documents obtained by The Independent, a petition filed on Thursday, September 21, in the Southern District of New York states that the former couple’s daughters were wrongfully detained by their father in New York City from “their habitual residence “ were withheld in the United Kingdom.

The documents reveal that the former couple made England their permanent residence in April 2023 and planned to purchase their “forever home” in England in December.

The filing states that the Jonas Brothers singer and the Game of Thrones star moved into a rental property in May 2023 and planned to move into a permanent home in December 2023.

But with relationship tensions complicated by summer travel arrangements, they reportedly decided their daughters would instead travel with Jonas on his band’s US tour, which began in July, while Turner began filming a new one in May ITVX drama series in the UK began.

However, before Turner’s filming was completed, Jonas finally filed a petition for dissolution of marriage in Miami Dade County, Florida on September 1st. The filing states that Turner allegedly learned about the divorce filing through the media when it was reported on Sept. 5.

After Jonas filed for divorce, the two reportedly met on September 17 to discuss their separation, and Turner reiterated her agreement to her daughters returning to England. However, the petition states that Jonas was in possession of her passports and “refused to hand them over to Turner,” which is why she is now suing.

The filing states: “On or about September 17, 2023, the parties met to discuss their separation. The mother reiterated the parties’ agreed plan to return the children to England this week. The father is in possession of the children’s passports. He refuses to return the mother’s passports and refuses to send the children home to England with their mother.

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner photographed in 2022

(Getty Images for Louis Vuitton)

In the filing, Turner has requested that the application for the children’s return to England be granted and that “the father be ordered to pay the mother’s reasonable and necessary legal fees and costs.”

It states: “Based on the father’s express representations that he will not return the children to England and will not return the children’s passports to the mother, on September 20, 2023 the mother lodged her application for return under the Hague Convention submitted to the Central Authority for England and Wales seeking the return of the children to England.”

Deborah Jeff, head of family law and children’s law at London law firm Simkins, tells The Independent that the new application is a “strategic move” on Turner’s part.

“The Hague Convention is a blunt instrument and children are normally automatically returned to their country of habitual residence if allegations of unlawful detention are made,” explains Jeff.

“Assuming Sophie and Joe’s children return to England, a family court judge will then apply a welfare checklist to determine their long-term residence and, crucially, the arrangements for maintaining a relationship with Joe.”

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are getting divorced

(Getty Images)

Jeff adds that dual citizenship families often find themselves in a legal process when divorcing.

“The sad truth is that in an international family, such procedures are all too common when a relationship breaks down,” explains Jeff.

In a statement to The Independent, a representative for Jonas explained that following the singer’s divorce filing in Florida, the Florida court has already issued an order prohibiting both parents from relocating their children. This order was reportedly served on Turner on September 6th.

“Joe and Sophie had a warm meeting in New York last Sunday when Sophie came to New York to be with the children. They have been with her since that meeting,” Jonas’ representative said via email.

“Joe’s impression of the meeting was that they had agreed to work together towards an amicable co-parenting arrangement. Less than 24 hours later, Sophie announced she wanted to bring the children to the UK permanently.

“With this file, she demanded that Joe hand over the children’s passports so that she could take them out of the country immediately. If he complies, Joe will be in violation of the Florida court’s order,” they said.

Guys Joe Jonas Sophie Turner

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

While the singer agrees that their children will be raised in both the US and the UK, his rep explained that their daughters are “American citizens”, born in the States and have spent “most of their lives” in the US would have spent.

“This is an unfortunate legal disagreement over a marriage that is sadly ending,” they added. “Using terms like ‘kidnapping’ is at best misleading and at worst a serious abuse of the legal system. The children were not kidnapped.”

His representatives also claim that Turner’s latest petition “was filed solely to move the divorce proceedings to the UK and permanently remove the children from the US.”

“Joe has already denied any statements that were allegedly made on his behalf that were derogatory to Sophie. They were made without his consent and are not in line with his views,” they said. “His wish is that Sophie reconsiders her harsh legal situation and takes a more constructive and private approach. His only concern is the welfare of his children.”