Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas, once a high-profile celebrity couple, have recently reached a significant milestone in resolving their custody dispute. Turner has decided to withdraw her “wrongful retention” claims against Jonas concerning the custody of their two daughters. This development comes after a U.S. judge agreed to dismiss the case, following the approval of a mutually agreed-upon consent plan by a U.K. judge last week.
The legal saga began last September when Turner, 27, initiated legal proceedings against 34-year-old Jonas. She accused him of wrongfully keeping their daughters, 18-month-old Delphine and 3-year-old Willa, in the United States, thereby preventing their return to England. Turner’s legal team strongly advocated for the immediate repatriation of the children, citing the start of the wrongful retention as September 20, told The Messenger.
On Wednesday, in a significant turn of events, both Jonas and Turner agreed to a dismissal of the legal action “with prejudice,” meaning the case is permanently closed and cannot be reopened. This decision was reached without either party being liable for the payment of attorney fees or other related costs. This agreement follows closely on the heels of the U.K. court’s approval of their parenting plan on January 11.
Before this agreement, Jonas had publicly contested Turner’s allegations. Just a day after Turner’s legal action in September, Jonas released a statement asserting his belief that they were already in the process of drafting a co-parenting plan. By September 25, 2023, the couple had formulated a temporary agreement to keep their daughters in New York City, as evidenced by documents filed in a New York court.
This temporary agreement specified geographical limitations within New York where Turner and Jonas were required to keep their children. Then, on October 10, 2023, they reached a temporary custody arrangement. They jointly stated their dedication to co-parenting effectively: “After a productive and successful mediation, we have agreed that the children will spend time equally in loving homes in both the U.S. and the UK.” They expressed their forward-looking approach to co-parenting in their statement.
Despite initiating divorce proceedings on September 5, 2023, Jonas and Turner have continually expressed their commitment to being excellent co-parents. Notably, their divorce filing mentioned the existence of a prenuptial agreement.
The couple’s journey began when they connected via Instagram direct messages in 2016, leading to their marriage in 2019. Their recent agreement marks a significant step towards a stable and collaborative co-parenting future for their family.
