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Judge urges Madonna and Guy Ritchie to end dispute over son Rocco Judge urges Madonna and Guy Ritchie to end dispute over son Rocco
(about 2 hours later)
A New York judge has urged Madonna and Guy Ritchie to end their dispute over the custody of their 15-year-old son Rocco and put the child’s interests first. Madonna has taken her custody battle to the UK high court to try to force ex-husband Guy Ritchie to return their son Rocco to live with her in America.
The pair, who divorced in 2008, have been arguing since December, after Rocco left his mother’s world tour and went to live with his film director father in London. The singer is fighting a legal battle in both London and New York, after 15-year-old Rocco left her world tour in December and went to live with his father in London.
On Wednesday the Manhattan supreme court justice Deborah Kaplan implored the pair to reach agreement over the boy’s future, after a deal struck on Tuesday had fallen apart. Ritchie, 47, attended the high court hearing on Thursday morning following Madonna’s application under the Hague convention, which deals with the abduction of children. She claims that Rocco, who has lived with her in New York since she divorced Ritchie in 2008, had been illegally retained after visiting his father in the UK last year.
Madonna, who is currently on the Asian leg of her Rebel Heart tour, has not been at either the London or New York hearings.
Judge Mr Justice Macdonald echoed the words of a New York judge also dealing with the dispute, urging Ritchie and Madonna to reach an “amicable settlement” to this “highly unfortunate and deeply regrettable” family dispute.
In the 90-minute hearing, Macdonald emphasised that it was their son who was suffering the most from this very publicly acrimonious custody battle. He said: “Unfortunate Rocco will have to experience additional emotional upset.”
The judge adjourned the case for a full hearing next week, where more evidence will be presented, and said he had to consider whether Madonna’s custody battle should continue in UK courts.
“It would be my fervent hope that discussions between the parties can reach an amicable resolution,” he said.
“An amicable negotiated resolution is definitely the way forward and in Rocco’s best interests.”
No details have been given as to why Rocco wants to live with his film director father, but reports have claimed Madonna’s strict style of parenting is central into the dispute.
Since moving back with his father, Rocco has been attending school in London but Ellen Sigal, a court-appointed attorney for the 15-year-old, said he was finding the family dispute “very difficult” and was keen for it to come to an end immediately.
She said: “ We hope to put an end to this as soon as possible without exposing him to more litigation, press innuendo, any of that kind of thing.”
David Williams QC, representing Madonna, said: “It is her desire that this is resolved as quickly as possible.”
It followed a New York court hearing on Wednesday where the state supreme court justice Deborah Kaplan implored the pair to put their child’s interests first and reach an agreement over the boy’s future.
They were warned if they could not agree then the court would step in and make its own ruling.They were warned if they could not agree then the court would step in and make its own ruling.
Kaplan made a ruling in December that Rocco should be returned to his mother’s custody, but it had been ignored by the teenager. Madonna’s lawyers suggested that Ritchie be arrested for contempt of court and compel him to come to New York but this was dismissed by the judge.
Kaplan said: “No one is disrupting his household other than the inability of the parents to reach a resolution.”Kaplan said: “No one is disrupting his household other than the inability of the parents to reach a resolution.”
She added: “If they cannot resolve this matter then eventually the court will.”She added: “If they cannot resolve this matter then eventually the court will.”
Ellen Sigal, a court-appointed attorney for Rocco Ritchie, said the boy had been worried about his future since leaving his mother’s tour last year to stay with Ritchie in London, where he is now at school.
She said: “It’s been a very difficult time for him. We hope to put an end to this as soon as possible without exposing him to more litigation, press innuendo, any of that kind of thing.”
No details have been given as to why Rocco wants to live with his father. But reports have claimed Madonna’s strict style of parenting is central to the dispute.
In the past couple of months Madonna has posted childhood pictures of Rocco on social media, showing her affection for him.In the past couple of months Madonna has posted childhood pictures of Rocco on social media, showing her affection for him.
Kaplan made a ruling in December that Rocco should be returned to his mother’s custody.
According to records Madonna, whose legal name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, had moved for the judge to enforce that order. But the teenager ignored the ruling that he should go back to New York to live with his mother.
Rocco had joined Madonna for the initial stages of her Rebel Heart tour, working backstage, before joining his father in London. He also went on tour with her in 2012.Rocco had joined Madonna for the initial stages of her Rebel Heart tour, working backstage, before joining his father in London. He also went on tour with her in 2012.
On Wednesday, Kaplan said she was not going to drop the order for Rocco to return to his mother, but was not planning to issue a warrant to compel Ritchie to appear in New York. Kaplan set a 1 June date for Madonna and Ritchie to come back to court after a conference call with attorneys for all three parties.
She set a 1 June date for Madonna and Ritchie to come back to court after a conference call with attorneys for all three parties.
Kaplan said she wanted the parents, along with their lawyers, to resolve the matter in the best interests of their son. She said she might want to meet at some point with Rocco.Kaplan said she wanted the parents, along with their lawyers, to resolve the matter in the best interests of their son. She said she might want to meet at some point with Rocco.
Ritchie, who directed the 1998 thriller Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Madonna divorced in New York in 2008.Ritchie, who directed the 1998 thriller Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Madonna divorced in New York in 2008.
The pop singer, who has been married twice, has three other children: daughter Lourdes, 19, with her then partner Carlos Leon; and David and Mercy, both 10, who were adopted from Malawi.The pop singer, who has been married twice, has three other children: daughter Lourdes, 19, with her then partner Carlos Leon; and David and Mercy, both 10, who were adopted from Malawi.
Ritchie remarried in 2015 to the British model Jacqui Ainsley.Ritchie remarried in 2015 to the British model Jacqui Ainsley.
Neither of the parents appeared at the court but instead called in from abroad. On Sunday, Madonna performed in Singapore and is due to take to the stage in Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday. Ritchie called in from London.Neither of the parents appeared at the court but instead called in from abroad. On Sunday, Madonna performed in Singapore and is due to take to the stage in Auckland, New Zealand, on Saturday. Ritchie called in from London.