When it comes to child custody disputes, courts are generally going to be most concerned with what is in the best interests of the children. This usually includes figuring out which parent will provide a better, or more stable, household.
When it comes to celebrity child custody disputes, sometimes how a celebrity publicly portrays themselves can have an impact on a court’s best interests inquiry. This is becoming rather clear in the recent Alex Jones child custody matter. While the judge in the matter has cautioned against turning the custody trial into a trial of Jones’s talk show persona, there will likely be some evidence introduced linking Jones’s real personal beliefs to the conspiracies and hate he promotes on his show.
Who Is Alex Jones?
Alex Jones is a far right wing talk show host who might be best known for his over-the-top conspiracy theories and yelling at the camera. The talk show host has gained ill-repute, and somehow incredible popularity along the way, for making meritless claims such as the claim that the Sandy Hook massacre was a government fraud that never really happened.
Harmful Public Persona
The Alex Jones custody battle, by virtue of the fact that it involved the highly excitable Alex Jones, was bound to be a tire-fire that the public gathered around to watch, despite the awful smell. Recently, Jones’s attorneys have asserted that the persona Jones displays on his talk show, Infowars, and publicly in the media, is nothing more than a fictional persona.
This fictional persona claim is in response to Jones’s ex claiming the man is as unstable in real life as he is on his show. If proven that Jones’s media persona is not fictional, then it could very well prove insurmountable in the child custody matter. A court is likely to find that children should not be raised by a parent who is not mentally stable, or fit.
If a court were to find that Jones is not mentally stable enough to be a primary custodian, he could still be awarded visitation. Additionally, Jones may also have the ability to petition for a modification of the order if he can show enrollment and/or completion of mental health treatment.
Related Resources:
- Find Family Law Attorneys Near You (FindLaw’s Lawyer Directory)
- Ludacris Awarded Social Media Veto Power in Child Custody Case (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
- The 7 Nastiest Celebrity Custody Battles of All Time (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)
- Jennifer Lopez Custody Battle with Marc Anthony Getting ‘Vicious’? (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice)