Christina Ricci’s Ex-Husband James Heerdegen Accuses Actress Of Using Her Fortune In Attempt To Strip Him Of Custody
Jan. 10 2023, Published 7:30 p.m. ET
Christina Ricci’s ex-husband James Heerdegen pleaded for an emergency hearing where he planned to demand joint physical custody of their son — but was shut down by the judge, RadarOnline.com has learned.
As RadarOnline.com first reported, the Wednesday actress and her ex are back in court fighting over their minor child. The couple had settled their bitter divorce in December. They agreed neither would pay child or spousal support. They agreed to share joint legal and physical custody with Christina having primary physical custody.
Last week, Christina demanded James’ overnight visits be suspended. She listed off a variety of reasons she believed he was not capable of parenting and wanted him to enroll in a class.
In response, James accused Christina of psychologically abusing their son. He said she was coaching and coercing their son in an attempt to manufacture evidence against him to strip him of custody.
James demanded joint legal and physical custody. In a declaration, he claimed that Christina was a successful and “well-compensated actor who has recently acquired a large sum of money that she may intend to use to pay lawyers to attempt to change” our custody agreement.
He said, “I am filing this form” without a lawyer “because I’ve already spent my entire retirement savings securing joint legal and physical custody of my son.”
In his filing, James said anytime he found himself without a lawyer for “financial reasons”, his ex dragged him back to court. He said her goal was to “deplete my financial resources through retention of lawyers, and to humiliate me in the press.”
“Their ultimate objective, as expressed by Ms. Ricci, is to effect the revocation of my legal and physical custody of my son. In Ms. Ricci’s words, I ‘deserve it for putting her through hell.’
He said, “I have documents, emails, and timeline of events to illustrate the litigation abuse levied upon me by Christina Ricci through her attorneys, and I am prepared to present them in court,” he said.
James demanded a neutral social worker be appointed for their child.
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Despite his emotional declaration, the judge ended up siding with Christina and suspending James’ overnight visits until a future hearing.
The order read, “The Court is making this order in the best interests of the minor child to preserve the calm pending a full hearing in light of the accusations and counter-accusations.”
Christina and James were ordered to complete a parenting class. The judge did not consider James' emergency motion because he did not give proper notice. Instead, he said they would hear his argument at a future hearing in March.
