Former NFL star finds himself in a contentious divorce

Some of our Maryland readers are probably familiar with former NFL star Deion Sanders – especially if they are Washington Redskins fans. The popular former Dallas Cowboy, known by his nickname “Primetime,” was a star on the football field and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. For all of his success in the realm of football, however, he is not having much success at getting through his divorce smoothly.

According to the reports, Sanders and his wife Pilar are having quite a bit of trouble coming to a satisfactory resolution to the end of their marriage. The couple was recently in court again, where temporary child custody and child support issues were the topic of discussion. Both parents are determined to get full custody of their three children.

Temporary orders are common in many divorce cases involving children. When a divorce is contested the whole process will take longer, thereby requiring at least an initial order of how the parents are to manage both legal custody and physical custody of the children. And, child support is often ordered on a temporary basis as well, at least until the divorce and the accompanying agreements are ruled on permanently. In many cases of contested divorce, reaching a final and permanent resolution can take months – or even longer.

For Sanders and his wife, it appears that the road ahead will be long and full of complications. But, perhaps they will have a change of heart, if they stay focused on the best interests of their children. This contentious divorce just goes to show that for anyone contemplating a divorce – especially when children are involved – it can be in everyone’s best interests if an agreement can be reached amicably.

Source: dallasnews.com, “Deion and Pilar Sanders divorce hearing focuses on kids’ well-being,” Valerie Wigglesworth, Jan. 9, 2013