PRESLEY | COLLECTIBLES has added a rare legal document from the divorce of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, signed by Priscilla on August 15 1972 (three days before Elvis files for divorce in Santa Monica Superior Court.) Further details can be found by clicking HERE and the story of the divorce went along the following lines:
- December 25, 1971 – Although everything seemed normal, many recollected that Elvis and Priscilla appeared distant over the holidays
- December 30, 1971 – Priscilla and Lisa Marie fly back to Los Angeles. Following their departure, Elvis announces to everyone that she was leaving him and she hadn’t told him why, only that she no longer loves him
- February 23, 1972 – Priscilla flew in for the end of Elvis’ engagement in Las Vegas and informed him that she’s involved with karate champ Mike Stone
- July 26, 1972 – Elvis’ legal separation from Priscilla became official on this date, but he’d already been dating Linda Thompson since July 6th.
- August 18, 1972 – Elvis files for divorce – it was entered in Santa Monica Superior Court
- May of 1973 – Priscilla had reopened the divorce case. The settlement on the face of it was clearly one-sided: for a man of such wealth to pay little more than $100,000 in a state where community property was the rule, and for both parties to be represented by the husband’s lawyers was unfair – but that’s what SHE wanted. Then she got involved in redecorating her new Pacific Palisades apartment (which Elvis had gladly agreed to pay for), and with part of the $50,000 that she received as an initial payment toward the settlement, she opened up a designer clothing shop in Beverely Hills, called Bis & Beau. Evidently the realities of doing business led her to a new-found appreciation for the financial realities of life. Her new lawyer introduced a motion to set aside the agreed upon settlement on the basis of “extrinsic fraud”
- October 9, 1973 – Elvis’ divorce decree was finalized in Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse in Santa Monica by Judge Laurence J Rittenland. Custody of Lisa Marie was shared jointly, legally, yet Elvis would pay $4000 a month child support. After a short 20 minute hearing, Elvis and Priscilla came out of court, walking hand in hand. They remained friends up until the day he died.
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