Feuding McGreeveys told to think of the child

The former couple are battling for temporary custody of 5-year-old Jacqueline.

30th April 2007 11:16
PinkNews.co.uk writer

The judge presiding over the highly publicised divorce of the openly gay New Jersey ex-Governor James McGreevey and his estranged wife urged them on Friday to use "common sense" during their split.

The Associated Press reports that Judge Karen Cassidy also called McGreevey's sexual orientation insignificant to the case.

The courtroom session with McGreevey and Dina Matos McGreevey was their first public appearance together since he resigned and told the world he was "a gay American" more than two years ago.

The former First couple are battling for temporary custody of 5-year-old Jacqueline.

Visitation, sleeping arrangements and the appointment of a parenting coordinator to help resolve issues were also ruled on.

According to Newsday, Judge Cassidy ruled that the McGreeveys will continue to share custody, with Matos McGreevey the primary parent.

Mr McGreevey is allowed visitation every other weekend and alternate Wednesdays.

The child will not be allowed to sleep in a bed with an adult other than one of her parents.

A parenting coordinator will be appointed by May 20th to assist in day-to-day parenting issues.

The child shall not be "introduced to non-age appropriate activities."

Court filings will be made directly to the court and not to the media, and either party can request a filing to be sealed.

Newsday also reports that Matos McGreevey has until May 7th to file her answer to her husband's divorce complaint.

The divorce has drawn intense publicity, much of it brought on by court filings in which the McGreeveys accuse each other of bad parenting and other misdeeds.

"As she ages, she's going to see and hear things, and some of those things may hurt her," Judge Cassidy said.

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I saw both the McGreeveys separately on Oprah. It appeared to me that they never were really a happy, loving couple from the start.