Large amounts of money can be on the line in a high-profile divorce. That was certainly the case in the divorce of the former husband and wife who became celebrities for infamously crashing a White House state dinner in November 2009. Tareq Salahi and his wife Michaele clashed often in settling matters in their divorce, according to media reports. The former couple appeared on numerous reality TV shows in recent years.
Readers in Colorado will be interested to learn that in finalizing the divorce decree, a judge dismissed a $50 million personal injury lawsuit that Tareq Salahi had filed against the classic rock band Journey; the band’s guitarist, Neil Schon; and an entertainment company called Nomata. The divorce settlement also included dropping an $850,000 countersuit by Michaele Salahi.
The decree concluded lengthy settlement proceedings, which nearly fell apart several times. There was also a dismissal order regarding one final defendant in the personal injury lawsuit. However, the judge decided to allow Tareq Salahi’s attorney two weeks to file an argument for why that portion of the suit should not be dismissed.
The hearing was a highly contentious affair, which surprised attorneys for Schon and Journey, who had anticipated a brief wrap-up of procedural matters. However, attorneys wrangled over particular wording in the settlement for some time. The specifics were not made public. Michaele Salahi was also originally a defendant in the personal injury lawsuit, but she was later dropped.
According to a news source, Tareq Salahi claimed that he will now focus on campaigning to be named the Republican nominee for governor in Virginia in 2013. His ex-wife is reportedly back traveling with Journey on the band’s most recent concert tour. Complex settlement situations such as theirs emphasize the importance of legal counsel in working out disputes in high-asset divorces.
Source: Northern Virginia Daily, “Salahi legal battles end amid courtroom sparring,” Joe Beck, Aug. 20, 2012
