Virtually every Illinois resident knows of at least one divorce of a friend or family member that ended with a great deal of acrimony and strife. In some cases, however, contention between parties reaches a fever pitch. Such appears to be the case between two West Coast spouses who divorced last year but continue to bitterly fight with one another over various aspects of their high asset divorce.
Bill and Sue Gross were married for 32 years, and once shared a net worth of nearly $2.5 billion. They gave a great deal of money to charitable organizations, and even founded their own foundation. The couple have three children, all of whom are now adults. They also have multiple homes, artwork, pets and vehicles, all of which became items of dispute during and after their divorce.
Sue Gross received “custody” of their three cats, while Bill Gross was granted “visitation” rights. A vet tech was tasked with transporting the pets from one home to the other for those 24-hour visits. Sue Gross went to her ex-husband’s home to declare that the cats were being kept in an overly hot section of the home.
She also accused her former husband of removing artwork from one of their homes and installing a system that included “flatulence dispensed from bottles.” Bill Gross obtained a restraining order against his ex after he claimed she threatened him with a knife during a musical performance by one of their children. Attorneys for the parties have expressed frustration at being unable to tamp down the resentment between the parties.
As this case demonstrates, emotions can run high during and after a high asset divorce. Allowing those emotions to impact one’s daily life, however, is not a healthy way to live. For those in Illinois who are dealing with ongoing strife with a current or former partner, finding relief is important, whether that occurs through a court order or in a counselor’s office.
