Another publicity stunt. I’m sure Bravo’s cameras were rolling as Lisa Wu went to the courthouse to file her paperwork.
From AJC.com:
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“Real Housewives of Atlanta” housewife Lisa Wu Hartwell last Thursday filed for primary custody of her two sons with ex-husband and R&B singer Keith Sweat.
“The best interest of the minor children will be served by modifying the current custody and visitation provisions to make Mother the primary physical condition of the minor children,” according to the court papers filed with the Superior Court of Fulton County. “Since the time of the Divorce Decree, Mother has remarried, owns a successful business and will provide a stable, loving, and nurturing environment in which she can raise the minor children.”
She is seeking “primary physical custody and joint legal custody with final decision-making on all issues regarding the minor children.” She will “reasonably engage Father in good faith discussions before any final decisions are made concerning the children’s welfare.” The two children are Jordan Sweat, age 14 and Justin Sweat, age 11.
If she does get custody, she requests child support as well.
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In 2003, Sweat received primary custody of the children. According to the final divorce decree at the time written by Fulton Superior Court judge Cynthia D. Wright, Sweat and Wu Hartwell married in 1992 and had the judge termed at the time an “extremely tumultuous relationship.” Wright wrote that “there is evidence that Father has been violent towards Mother, but no evidence he has ever been violent with any of his children.”
The judge felt the children at the time “lacked structure in their lives, due in substantial part to Mother’s numerous business ventures and frequent trips out of town… Mother has a history of spending money on herself excessively rather than providing for the children… There was some evidence at trial that Mother implicitly participated in robbing Father in the presence of the children. She also took money from Father prior to the initiation of this matter. This behavior causes the Court to question Mother’s maturity and judgment.”
Although Sweat, too, travels frequently, the decree said Sweat’s mom helped care for the children. “Father is capable of providing a stable, secure home environment for the boys where their care is not delegated to random third parties,” the judge wrote.
Wu Hartwell has had visitation rights and has said in past interviews she sees her sons frequently. Neither boy was shown on camera or even talked about on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” because Sweat would not give her legal permission to do so. Sweat is never mentioned by name on the show.
Wu Hartwell is currently married to former NFL player Ed Hartwell. They have a child, who we saw on the TV show, which begins taping its second season today.
Carlos Scott, her publicist, said Wu Hartwell cannot speak on the subject while it’s in the court system. Wu Hartwell said nothing about the custody case on Saturday at her South Dekalb Mall appearance though she did note that her ex-husband didn’t clear her sons to be on the show.
We are currently seeking comment from Sweat, who happens to be promoting his new Peachtree TV special airing this week reuniting the group Dru Hill. Sweat made no mention of the custody case this morning in an interview with Frank & Wanda on V-103.
Photo by ExclusiveAccess.net
lawd…….
Lisa… I hate to say it, but you can pretty much forget it mama. It’s too late for you and he’s apparently done an excellent job of taking care of them since. I don’t think your paper is as long as Mr. Sweat’s.
Those boys should be with their mother.
i hope they come to a settlement that will benefit the kids .
Lisa needs more people just as bad as she needesd a stylist for that HORRID outfit she wore yesterday to sign autographs at Bronner Brothers!!!!
She had a GANG of security to draw attention to herself and she was acting like a major celeb. BISH PLEASE!!!! If she needs that much security just to walk through Bronner Brothers, it’s in the bestinterest of the children to stay with THEIR DADDY that can take them to school and doesn’t have the need for a huge security team!!!!
Pseudo celebs like her KILL ME!!!!
Maybe Peachizz, but I think it might be too late.
^^ And why is that???? just because she is the “mother”? Obviously he has the custody for a reason, I don’t know to many fathers that get custody from the courts unless there is some type of good reason behind it which looks like it from here that she has to go to court for it.
Anything for a paycheck!!!
I need concoc me a plan of who to sue and how to get me some paper
It’s kind of bright in the office today, am I seeing a imaginary unibrow?
Anna Says:
It’s kind of bright in the office today, am I seeing a imaginary unibrow?
^^ i see what you are talking about and yes it does look like a unibrow . lol
dblaq Says:
I don’t know to many fathers that get custody from the courts unless there is some type of good reason behind it which looks like it from here that she has to go to court for it.
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Exactly. She gets them on every other weekend, I think. It’s been working for this long, so why stop. He’s doing a good job raising them, and he has the money to fight her in court. I think she’s wasting her time. Now that she has some shine, she wants them back. Why wasn’t she gunning for them before now? I’m just sayin…..
how can she fix her mouth to ask for child support when he has had them for so long ? is she even paying support for them now ?
In the State of Georgia, the 14 year old will have a say in the proceedings; if he’s happy with his dad, then that’s probably where he will stay.
I see right thru this plan. She wants child support says it all. We all know her husband career is O V E R! She is basically the bread winner of the family and a child support check from Keith Sweat will “Make it last forever”.
^^^ lmao
@DB I am not on anybodys side in this but I will say per Lisa she said Keith only got custody cause she was not working when they divorced and of course he has $$$. Now there is always his side.
It has always bothered me that Steve Harvey took his ex to court for custody over their (her) only child and he said more than once he wanted his son with him she was a good mother but he wanted ALl his kids with him. Now when you get divorced thats not the way the cookie crumbles unless the father has long paper I guess.
If the mother is unfit or agrees sons should be with their fathers then fine otherwise I think its a low blow. I would not want my ex hubby to take my kids boys or girls away from me just because they have more money.
13iscream Says:
I see right thru this plan. She wants child support says it all. We all know her husband career is O V E R! She is basically the bread winner of the family and a child support check from Keith Sweat will “Make it last forever”.
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His career is not over, it’s just beginning to pick up again. He is a radio host.
All crackheads pull this stunt. I say leave those boys alone. YOu have moved on with your husband and new baby, so girl, bye!
I can understand trying to get your children back. But if your married with a successful business why ask for child support? I think “if” she’s supplying child support while he has custody than the shoe should go on the other foot if she get soul custody.
I wonder though why was Keith Sweat still given custody even if she didnt hava a job. We’ve heard of many many situations where a women ain’t doing nuthing and claiming that raising her kids is a full time job. Then turns around and not only gets the children but then gets a ridiculous amount of money to support the children as well. I think there is more to this story than we know. Maybe she just wasn’t ready to take care of them at the time of the divorce. You would have to fight me tooth and nail to get my kids away from me.
@Daisy YOu have all these women crying how their baby daddy’s ain’t sh!t but then you have someone that acutally does what he is suppose to but all of sudden that not how the cookie crumbles????
Just because you are not working doesn’t justify that she doesn’t get the gets every other weekend. If that was the case they could have ruled that the father has primary custody but the mother can get the kids a lot more than she did. She didn’t bother to fight until now. Plus if they got divorced, I am pretty sure that she got herself a nice alimony check from him which of course ceases when she remarries.
Also if I correctly recall, she was trying to have her kids on that freak circus of a show she was on and Keith shut it down, which was a good move. The kids don’t need to be exploited for fame. If looks like a duck, walks like duck and quacks like a duck……
its all a stunt. why now ? its because the tv producers told her so. these shows are scripted and she was just following her lines.
dblaq Says:
I don’t know to many fathers that get custody from the courts unless there is some type of good reason behind it which looks like it from here that she has to go to court for it.
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exactly. my daughter’s father gain custody of his daughter…the mom was just unfit. we proved that and she got visitation. i’m not sure after years of them living with their dad and doing well that it’s in the best interest to remove them now.
We all remember the story about Eddy Curry’s ex and daughter being killed, turns out the attorney who represented her in the paternity suit was charged with their murders, it’s a domestic violence situation.
Could she want them back to be on the show? Would they get paid as well for their apperances? I think the kids should have a say in where they want to go WITHOUT both parents promising them this or that or pulling the pity role.
Blame it on the economy…people will do what it takes to make a dolla.
@DB A father can be active and hands on WITHOUT seeking custody. It happens everyday. We will agree to disagree. I will say Lisa should have seen it coming since she said she was helping him raise his kids by another women if he took the kids from the 1st wife/baby mama dont know why you thought you would get a pass. Again IMO if the mother is NOT unfit I dont think the father should seek custody. I do not have kids yet but I cant imagine a judge taking my babies away just because I am in between jobs/and or a stay at home mom. Of course I wouldnt have a job if thats what I had been doing.
@ Anna I’m a fight you, lmao. He’s a radio host… that money is not football money. A radio host, rlamo.
As far as the kids being on the show ppl have their kids on reality shows all the time esp. on the housewives series and I dont see anything wrong w/ it. I doubt the kids would be traumtized forever by being on tv for 2secs. He has custody so he made the call but its not that serious.
This is a tough one. It sounds like both parents are terrible. Keith beat mama and mama has a serious spending problem although she is frugal when it comes to spending on the kids. I’d say at this late point, they might as well stay with Daddy. They are adolescent boys. They need his rearing more than hers at this point. The time when they most needed her nurturing she was apparently out shopping.
@ Anna I’m a fight you, lmao. He’s a radio host… that money is not football money. A radio host, rlamo
*****you must didn’t watch the show …football money is not guranteed like basketball which is guaranteed …when he stops playing so do those checks …unlike basketball he can get hurt and they have to pay him his entire contract ….keith sweat is making some bread….”sweat hotel”
29SHANIASMOMMA Says:
@ Anna I’m a fight you, lmao. He’s a radio host… that money is not football money. A radio host, rlamo
*****you must didn’t watch the show …football money is not guranteed like basketball which is guaranteed …when he stops playing so do those checks …unlike basketball he can get hurt and they have to pay him his entire contract ….keith sweat is making some bread….”sweat hotel”
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Football money, basketball money. I am so confussed, I thought he was a singer. LOL. I only watched the show twice.
No I did watch the show that’s why I said she wants that child support bc the money aint coming in no more. That still doesn’t mean he is making the money as a radio host that he made as a football player. No where near it.
i think it’s more to this story than what we’ve heard .
I like Lisa but I’m going to have to ride out with Keith on this one. Why did she wait this long to try and get your kids back? How long has she been married to dude? She should’ve been trying to get them back as soon as she got married. I think she is trying to get them back either as a plot for the show or because Ed’s money is running short and so are her “businesses”. I wouldn’t even want his money, I’d be trying to show him that I can take care of my kids with or without his help. Asking for child support is the dead giveaway.
per the article
The judge felt the children at the time “lacked structure in their lives, due in substantial part to Mother’s numerous business ventures and frequent trips out of town… Mother has a history of spending money on herself excessively rather than providing for the children… There was some evidence at trial that Mother implicitly participated in robbing Father in the presence of the children. She also took money from Father prior to the initiation of this matter. This behavior causes the Court to question Mother’s maturity and judgment.”
This doesn’t sound like a lack of a job on her part.
Now KS is a woman beater which is EFFED up (points off for Keith). I wonder if he beat her up for stealing his money as the “decree” states she did.
^^ what i don’t understand is if he beat her why did they give the kids to him? even though he never hurt the kids , seems like that’s just as bad of a situation. that’s why i say there has to be more to the story .
90% of the time, the judge awards custody of minor children to the mother UNLESS it is apparent that the mother is unfit or incapable of taking care of the children financially.
Although folks may NOT understand why Lisa NOT having a job is a big deal, it is when the father is financially solvent and capable of providing a STABLE home environment for the children. Apparently, Lisa NOT only didn’t have a job but she travelled quite a bit. Who would be there to watch and provide for the children while she was trying to get her many businesses up and running? On the flip side, Keith Sweat had the monetary resources, home, and his mother who would provide a STABLE environment for the children.
The determining factor in custody cases is which household — mother or father — is the best household for the children from a financial and psychological standpoint. The judge ruled in Keith’s favor because Lisa, at the time, was unable to prove that she could take care of the children in the same or better manner than Keith could.
I applaud Keith for not signing a waiver to allow his kids to be on reality TV show. Just because other celebs and former celebs allow their children to be on Reality TV doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Those children don’t need to be a part of that foolishness. They are kids and entitled to live their lives as children.
Anna Says:
Football money, basketball money. I am so confussed, I thought he was a singer. LOL. I only watched the show twice.
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You made me laugh twice in one post. Her ex husband Keith Sweat is a singer. Her current husband (don’t know his gay azz name) is an ex football player.
So wait now I’m confused who has a radio show Keith Sweat? Please say it aint so. That means her new husband aint even got a radio gig. Now I know she doing this trying to get that check. Yall know Lisa Wu is a Hussela.. I’m a hussela, I’m a; I’m a; I’m a hussla homie.. Nicca ask about me.
@iscream
Keith has the radio show. Ed just has his body and Lisa’s many business ventures…lol
i don’t know much about keith’s radio show, but if its a sirius show, then its gooood money.
I’d be shocked if at this point in the boys life, the court would decide to take those kids away from their father. They have stability in their life, why mess with that now, with prob the mosst important years of their life being teenagers.
And I need the judge to ask lisa…..why now? It smells
@ Daisy. First off in Georgia 99% of the time the mother will always get custody unless you can prove that the mother is unfit. Plus you have to bring in proof, not just in front of the judge and say I am a singer and I got money, I want the kids and bam he gets them. The system here in GA is very biased towards women, I know because I have my son and see all the time. So with that being said for the courts to award a father custody, it means the they went to trial and had to made statements arguements, bring in proof and whatever else. He had to and she had to, the end result was that she didn’t get custody plus limited visitation. Usually you can get joint custody or custody where the parent can get vistiation without restriction they just have to work it out. However it ain’t so in that case if she only gets to see them every other weekend and they both live in Atlanta.
unibrows huh? is that what’s hot in the streets?
In 2003, Sweat received primary custody of the children. According to the final divorce decree written by Fulton Superior Court judge Cynthia D. Wright, the children “lacked structure in their lives, due in substantial part to Mother’s numerous business ventures and frequent trips out of town . . . Mother has a history of spending money on herself excessively rather than providing for the children . . . There was some evidence at trial that Mother implicitly participated in robbing Father in the presence of the children. She also took money from Father prior to the initiation of this matter. This behavior causes the Court to question Mother’s maturity and judgment.”
Wright also ruled that there was evidence that the “Father has been violent towards Mother, but no evidence he has ever been violent with any of his children.”
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enough said! straight from the court records.
Why were the boys not awarded to her initally? Now she wants to uproot them from their home to be with her? I don’t care if she is the mother, those kids are stable and have settled into their daily routine and life. Who cares if people believe kids adapt fast. Leave those boys alone!
So now that her husband is out of football, She needs some more money. She probably ran through most of Ed’s money. So Ed was like shit Keith got money lets get some of it…lol