Since their romance began in 2017, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner have captured the admiration of fans with their seemingly flawless relationship. The couple, who wed in 2019 and welcomed two daughters, further endeared themselves to the public when Sophie supported Joe during the Jonas Brothers’ world tour at Yankee Stadium in August 2023, where he dedicated the song “Hesitate” to her.
Consequently, it was a surprise to many when Joe filed for divorce weeks later, citing their marriage as “irretrievably broken.” Following this announcement, rumors swirled regarding the reasons behind the split, and what started as an amicable divorce began to escalate into a contentious situation, with Sophie suing Joe over their children.
Legal tensions rise as Sophie sues Joe for custody of their daughters following their divorce filing
The divorce was finalized in September 2024.
On September 3, 2023, multiple outlets reported that Joe and Sophie were facing marital issues after four years together. Reports indicated that Joe was consulting various divorce attorneys in Los Angeles and preparing to file. On the same day, he was seen performing on stage with his wedding ring, while Sophie reportedly watched from the audience.
Two days later, Joe officially filed for divorce in Miami-Dade County, according to court documents obtained by In Touch. In his filing, he stated that the marriage was “irretrievably broken” and requested joint legal custody of their daughters.
The couple publicly addressed their divorce on September 6, issuing a joint statement on social media. They announced, “After four wonderful years of marriage, we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage.” Both emphasized that while there were many speculative narratives, this decision was united and requested privacy for themselves and their children.
Despite their efforts to quell speculation, sources close to the couple continued to provide various explanations for their split. Allegations surfaced that Joe was unhappy with Sophie’s partying and that an incident captured on a Ring camera led him to question the marriage. Other claims suggested difficulties in balancing parenting responsibilities.
A source revealed that “they just reached a point where it wasn’t meshing anymore,” indicating a painful realization that they weren’t suited for the long term.
On September 7, Joe was spotted spending time with their daughters in Sherman Oaks, California. While many praised his active parenting, others speculated he was attempting to control the public relations narrative following the split.
On September 9, Joe addressed the divorce for the first time during a performance at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. “It’s been a tough week. I just wanna say, look, if you don’t hear it from these lips, don’t believe it,” he told the audience, thanking them for their support.
While Sophie kept her response discreet, she was seen enjoying a night out in New York City with Taylor Swift, who also has history with Joe, sparking excitement on social media about their budding friendship.
The situation intensified on September 20 when Sophie filed a lawsuit against Joe, alleging he had “wrongfully retained” their daughters since the divorce filing. Court documents indicated that the couple had previously agreed to raise their children in England but that Joe was now refusing to hand over their passports for their return.
Joe’s representative issued a strong rebuttal to the lawsuit, stating, “When language like ‘abduction’ is used, it is misleading at best.” The statement emphasized that the children were in Joe’s care by mutual agreement and suggested that Sophie was making this claim to move the divorce proceedings to the UK.
One day after filing the lawsuit, Sophie was again spotted with Taylor, continuing their girls’ nights out.
On September 25, the estranged couple reached a temporary agreement to keep their daughters in New York. Court documents filed indicated that they both agreed to a consent order prohibiting their children’s removal from the Southern and Eastern districts of New York pending further orders.
In early October 2023, after three days of mediation, it appeared that Joe and Sophie were finding common ground despite their custody battle. Legal documents revealed that they had reached an amicable resolution on various issues, including a temporary custody agreement.
As part of the agreement, Sophie would have the girls from October 9 to October 21, allowing her to travel to the UK with them. Joe would then have custody from October 21 until November 2 before returning them to Sophie, who would keep them until January 7, 2024.
The day after reaching the temporary custody arrangement, Joe filed to dismiss his divorce case in Miami. Although they planned to finalize their divorce, it would be settled privately.
In January 2024, Sophie withdrew her “wrongful retention” claim against Joe. A U.S. judge approved the dismissal after they signed a consent plan accepted by a UK judge on January 11.
By March 19, 2024, Sophie’s lawyers filed to reactivate their divorce case in Miami-Dade County, following the expiration of their temporary custody agreement. Joe’s representative characterized the filing as a legal formality, stating that the couple was still negotiating an amicable resolution.
In September 2024, Joe and Sophie finalized their divorce one year after filing, requesting that the details of their settlement remain sealed.
