George Zimmerman divorce judgment may be granted

Not only has George Zimmerman had legal troubles, his marriage is also in shambles. Shellie Zimmerman, 26, filed for a divorce Sept. 5, 2013. George Zimmerman, however, has failed to respond to the divorce petition. Now, Shellie has asked a Florida judge to stop all delays and issue an judgment for divorce.

Under Florida law, George Zimmerman had 20 days to respond to the divorce petition after it was issued to him. He managed to avoid the service of the petition for several months. It was not until December 18, 2013, when he was in jail for a domestic violence charge, that the courts successfully issued the divorce petition to him. The domestic violence case against him was later dismissed.

After the twenty day delay expired, Shellie had her attorney, Kelly Sims, file the motion for default, which was later entered into the court of record by the deputy clerk. Now, the judge has been asked to move the case forward with or without George Zimmerman’s cooperation. The couple has been living apart since August 2013. They do not own property and they do not have any children, two facts which should lead to a simple and quick divorce, eliminating the need for any type of child support or child custody agreement.

Shellie’s attorney, however, notes that getting Zimmerman to cooperate has not been easy. She currently does not know where he lives or how to find him. She also has no details on his finances, all factors which have made it difficult to proceed with the divorce case.

Financial details of George Zimmerman and his wife Shellie

Shellie Zimmerman has requested that her two dogs, Oso and Leroy, remain in her possession. Shellie listed she has an estimated $104,000 in debts and only $13,000 in assets. George Zimmerman has an estimated $2.5 million in debts, which are primarily owed to the defense team of attorneys Mark O’Mara and Don West.

History of legal troubles for George Zimmerman

This new legal development is just one in a long list of many for George Zimmerman who was acquitted for killing Trayvon Martin, in Sanford Feb. 26, 2012. Although the Zimmerman was found not guilty, public sentiment remained hostile.

Since the acquittal, George Zimmerman has had other brushes with the law. Just days after his wife filed for divorce, Zimmerman was arrested for domestic violence. George Zimmerman has also been stopped three times for traffic violations, twice for speeding and once for having window tinting which was too dark.

Prior to the Trayvon Martin case, he was arrested in 2005, after he was accused of attacking an undercover officer who was trying to arrest Zimmerman’s friend. In the same year his former fiancee filed for a restraining order against him, alleging domestic violence. No criminal charges were filed.

Divorce should always be the last resort for ending any marriage. It’s important to first attempt reconciliation and get help. If reconciliation is not possible or you are in an abusive marriage or your spouse has been unfaithful, talk to a divorce lawyer to ensure your interests are protected.