TV Chicago Mayor, Kelsey Grammer, Preps for Child Custody Battle

Kelsey Grammer is not a Chicago mayor, but he plays one on TV. Now Grammer, who plays a Chicago mayor with a brain disorder on the new Starz drama “Boss,” is involved in some real-life drama of his own as he prepares for a long, drawn-out child custody battle with his ex-wife, Camille.

Kelsey Grammer, who has since married 30-year old Kayte Walsh, fathered two children with Camille, a nine-year old and a six-year old. As Kelsey and Camille Grammer prepare to battle over their two young children, Kelsey has vowed not to make his private battles with his ex-wife public, as Camille famously did on the reality show “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

However, given the acrimony between the two former spouses, it would be surprising if they can privately reach an agreement on child custody. Instead, it's likely that their battle will become very public and will be fought in a courthouse.

Usually, parents themselves (with the help of an attorney or mediator) answer the question of who will get custody of the children. The parents can often reach a private agreement that does not involve a judge or public courtroom drama.

But as public statements made by both Kelsey and Camille Grammer indicate a less than harmonious breakup, it seems unlikely that a private agreement can be made. Instead, all signs point to a public battle before a family court judge who will have to decide who gets custody of the children.

In making this decision, the judge may consider several factors including:

Children's best interests like the preferences of the child, location of the parents, community, and schools.
Mental and physical health of the parents.
Any evidence of emotional or physical abuse.
Who is the children's primary caretaker meaning who feeds the children, participates in their schooling, buys them clothes, etc.

As Kelsey Grammer is already making public statements about not wanting to make public his child custody battles, it's likely that we haven't heard the last of his real-life drama.

Related Resources: