Who is Jack Lundy? Judge granted Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen a divorce in JUST 33 MINUTES!
GLADES COUNTY, FLORIDA: Florida judge Jack Lundy, who granted the divorce of supermodel Gisele Bundchen and NFL star Tom Brady, is facing criticism from some who feel that his handling of the case was “unprecedented” and that the celebrity pair received preferential treatment. State legislation stipulates that a divorce must be filed at least 20 days before the final judgment is rendered.
However, Glades County Administrative Judge Lundy granted the couple's request for a divorce without a hearing just 33 minutes after receiving Bundchen's petition last week. Those who follow the legal system claim that Lundy redefined the term "quickie divorce" in a place where some marriages last just as long as a football game. “(Being starstruck) is likely the explanation for this,” said Michael Barfield, director of public access for the Florida Center for Government Accountability which ensures the public's oversight of the judiciary system and access to the court system. “The way the judge handled this case is unprecedented, It seems that the judge and the lawyers coordinated things to happen in advance of the divorce filing while the right to know is the basis of the court system.”
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Additionally, a number of Brady's proceedings seemed out of the ordinary, according to John Christiansen Jr., a well-known divorce attorney in West Palm Beach whose firm handled Vanilla Ice's four-year divorce. “I don't want to be seen as being critical of a judge, he said to Daily Mail. “But I can tell you that the cases we have done end in a hearing where the husband or the wife, sometimes both, have to appear. That hearing is for the judge to obtain testimony to make sure the judgment is correct.”
Who is Judge Jack Lundy?
Judge Lundy was elected to the Glades County Court position in the autumn of 1996. He serves as the administrative judge for Glades County. Lundy attended Edison Community College after Moore Haven High School and went on to earn a degree in criminal justice from South Florida Community College in March 1981. In December 1983, Lundy received his JD from the Stetson University College of Law where he completed his schooling. He joined the 21st Judicial Circuit's State Attorney's Office after being admitted to the Florida Bar in May 1984. He worked with the State Attorney's Office up until May 1986 when he joined Henderson, Franklin, Starnes and Holt. Prior to May 1996, Lundy was still employed by the organization. He was an investor in Henderson, Franklin, Starnes and Holt for the final four years of his employment with the company.
The case was formally filed on November 4 at 10.38 am, according to the time stamps on the few generic documents that are out for public inspection. In total, 33 minutes passed between the time Bundchen filed for divorce and the time the final decree became effective, making the famous pair legally free to separate at 11.11 am. The 35-page file provided to him by the couple's attorneys was barely enough time for the judge to read it all. A veteran Florida divorce attorney who requested anonymity due to the prospect of being asked to represent a client in Glades County said he had never seen or heard of anything even "remotely similar" to Brady's case.
Even more so, he admitted to Daily Mail that he might begin utilizing the same template to obtain speedy divorces in the future. “It's like the county's judiciary circled the wagons around them to coddle them. Never mind that Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen don't need special treatment, they're richer than God. But for the court staff to be arguing that this is available to any Floridian is laughable. It's disingenuous. At least, be honest about it, own the fact that celebrities will be treated differently in Glades County, period.”
The Brady divorce process moves quickly in contrast to the following Florida statute: “No final judgment of dissolution of marriage may be entered until at least 20 days have elapsed from the date of filing the original petition for dissolution of marriage.” In accordance with the law, a judge may grant a divorce judgment earlier "on a showing that injustice would result from this delay." Brady's filing doesn't provide any supporting information or make any claims of injustice.
Divorce in many Florida courts can take months or even years, depending on the parent's financial situation and how difficult the split is, especially when children are involved. The 45-year-old quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his ex-supermodel have two children together: Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9. The majority of cases entail at least one hearing when the parties' attendance may be required. Typically, this is the hearing where the judge grants the divorce after briefly questioning both the petitioner and the respondent from the bench to ensure that both parties are aware of what is happening.
Brady did not appear in court and neither did Bundchen. Kelly Brantley, Lundy's legal assistant, stated to Daily Mail last week: “We treated them the same as anyone else. Everything was on the up-and-up. We did nothing differently. Their attorneys handled everything so we were able to process everything in one day. However, no hearing was held, as evidenced by the docket and subsequent conversations with courtroom staff.”