In the ongoing custody battle between Elon Musk and Grimes over their three shared children, recent legal documents reveal a contentious disagreement over Musk’s claimed residency in Texas.
According to Business Insider, Grimes, whose legal name is Claire Boucher, alleges that Musk, despite relocating Tesla’s headquarters to Texas in 2021, spends less than half his time in the Lone Star State.
The dispute gains significance as both parties engage in legal battles in Texas and California, contesting which state should have jurisdiction over their custody case.
Musk accuses Grimes of attempting to evade Texas courts, where child-support payments are capped at $2,760 per month for three children. Grimes rejects Musk’s claim, arguing that she and two of their children have been residing in California when Musk filed his petition – California has no limit on child support payments.
In the realm of residential custody disputes, courts typically grant jurisdiction based on the state where the children have lived for the previous six months. Musk contends that the kids’ primary residence is in Austin, Texas, where they lived for at least six consecutive months.
Grimes disputes this, stating that she and the two youngest children have been living in California since December 31, 2022. While X, the eldest child, was not physically present with Grimes in California, Musk had custody of the child in Texas against Grimes’ objections.
Despite Musk’s frequent travels between Texas and California for his various companies, Grimes claims that he spent only 45% of his time in Austin, according to her filing. Musk’s travel details alone may not sway jurisdiction, however, Grimes argues that the two youngest children have been with her in California since December, making a strong case for California jurisdiction.
As the legal battle unfolds, Musk’s critique of California’s divorce laws and Grimes’ claims present a complex narrative that could influence the outcome of their custody dispute, as first reported by Business Insider.
