Getty Images Bethenny Frankel's long custody battle may finally be coming to an end.
Bethenny Frankel and her ex-husband Jason Hoppy have been embroiled in a custody battle over their daughter, Bryn, since 2013. Over the years, things have gotten pretty nasty between the two exes, who have been to court numerous times.
Frankel and Hoppy welcomed Bryn in 2010. However, they announced their decision to split when she was barely 3-years-old. At the time, Frankel released a statement that sounded as though she and Hoppy were amicable.
“This was an extremely difficult decision that, as a woman and a mother, I have to accept as the best choice for our family. We have love and respect for one another and will continue to amicably co-parent our daughter who is, and will always remain, our first priority. This is an immensely painful and heartbreaking time for us,” the former “Real Housewives” star told Us Weekly in 2012.
What ensued in the years that followed was anything but amicable. At one point in 2017, things got so bad that Frankel actually needed to get a restraining order against her ex, according to TMZ. However, as of Wednesday, December 8, 2021, Hoppy and Frankel’s ongoing battle may have produced a big, bright light at the end of their long, dark tunnel.
Here’s what you need to know:
A Judge Ruled That Frankel No Longer Has to Pay Child Support to Hoppy
Frankel received good news during her most recent custody hearing: She no longer has to pay child support to her ex-husband. According to Page Six, the judge presiding over the case has ruled in Frankel’s favor.
Despite she and Hoppy sharing 50/50 custody of Bryn and the judge previously requiring Frankel to make payments to her ex, Bryn, 11, has been spending the majority of her time with Frankel by choice.
“We have put in a schedule that Bryn can be comfortable with that the court can order so we don’t have these constant fights going on. We need to recognize that Ms. Frankel is the primary parent … she should not be paying child support at this point,” Frankel’s lawyer, Allan Mayefsky, said in court.
Fans who follow Frankel on social media may or may not have noticed that Bryn is with her mom quite a bit. They’ve been spending a lot of time together, and Bryn has been making regular appearances on Frankel’s Instagram Stories.
Hoppy Has Said That He Will Not Fight the Ruling
Despite the constant back-and-forth in this case, Hoppy has made a somewhat surprising move by not fighting the judge’s decision to honor Frankel’s request.
“This is not a Bryn issue or an issue that Bryn has with me. Therefore, I’m removing myself of this fight — for Bryn and my physical, emotional and mental health. I will not spend the remainder of Bryn’s childhood fighting as we share joint physical custody. Bryn knows I love her, I want her and I will always be available for our time together,” Hoppy told the judge.
His comments came after Frankel and her lawyer explained that Bryn has been suffering from anxiety, having panic attacks by way of hyperventilation and breaking out in hives over having to go stay with her dad. “Whatever you put on paper, that’s great for structure, but she is a living, breathing thing and she won’t always go,” Frankel said.
“I want her to see her father. I know how important it is for a child to have a good relationship with both parents,” Frankel added.
At the end of the hearing, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz told Frankel and Hoppy that he hopes he doesn’t see them in the future. Neither Frankel nor Hoppy have spoken publicly about their latest agreement.
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