Kelly Dodd, known for her appearances on The Real Housewives of Orange County, has had a highly publicized and complex relationship with her ex-husband, Michael Dodd. Their story involves multiple attempts at divorce, a contentious custody battle over their daughter Jolie, and various legal issues, painting a picture of a truly toxic dynamic. This article delves into the details of their relationship, drawing upon court documents, police reports, and Dodd's own statements.
The Initial Divorce Filing and Financial Disputes
The saga began when Kelly Dodd first filed for dissolution of marriage on March 6, 2012. As part of the initial proceedings, she requested spousal support and asked Michael to cover $20,000 in attorney fees. She claimed that Michael had only provided her with limited funds, stating, "Since the day I filed for dissolution of marriage, March 6, 2012, Respondent has only given me access to $5,000 for our daughter’s and my current needs." She further detailed her financial needs, noting her monthly rent of $5,500 and Jolie’s school fees averaging $1,000 per month. Based on Michael's reported annual salary of $500,000, she requested $41,666 in spousal and child support.
Michael Dodd contested her request for spousal support. He argued that he had been covering all expenses and had already transferred $50,000 to Kelly at her counsel’s request. He further alleged that Kelly was not using the funds responsibly, stating, "Petitioner does not use the funds that I provide her to just provide for her and our daughter’s living expenses. Petitioner spends money frivolously, has a tendency to shop a lot, and uses a great deal of funds on purchasing unnecessary items."
The Nasty Custody Battle Over Jolie
Adding to the complexity, Kelly and Michael engaged in a heated custody battle over their daughter Jolie, who was five years old at the time. Kelly sought joint legal and primary custody of Jolie, with reasonable visitation rights for Michael. She justified her request by stating, "As Jolie’s primary caretaker, driving her to and from school, taking her to medical and dental appointments, activities, etc., have been my exclusive responsibility, in large part, due to Respondent’s absence due to his employment."
Michael countered by requesting joint legal and joint physical custody of their daughter. He defended his involvement in Jolie’s life, asserting, "Petitioner and I have both been very active in our daughter’s life and have both been the primary caretakers of Jolie since she was born. I have been a very hands on father and since Petitioner moved to Orange County, I have been to Orange County every opportunity that I have had to see our daughter."
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The accusations escalated when Michael accused Kelly of neglecting their daughter to engage in social activities. He claimed, "Since moving to Orange County, Petitioner has had the tendency to leave our daughter with Petitioner’s mother or with babysitters in order to allow her plenty of opportunities to go out on dates, to bars, or have girls nights with her friends."
Kelly retaliated with her own accusations, alleging that Michael had stolen from her. She claimed, "Respondent searched through my personal belongings and removed two watches (one a Cartier and another a Breitling) from the residence that are my separate property," referring to a time when Michael was watching Jolie at her home. She added that the watches were later returned to her. Ultimately, the court ordered that they share joint legal and physical custody of their daughter.
Legal Troubles and Domestic Disputes
The troubles between Kelly and Michael extended beyond divorce filings and custody disputes. On July 6, 2014, Kelly was arrested following a violent altercation. Court papers stated, "Kelly Denise Dodd did willfully and unlawfully inflict corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon Michael Dodd, who was the spouse of the defendant." The case was eventually dismissed after Kelly completed 10 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and six months of therapy.
Following the domestic dispute, Michael sought a protective order, requesting "no personal, electronic, telephonic or written contact" with Kelly.
Reconciliation Attempts and the Final Decision to Divorce
Despite the legal battles and personal turmoil, Kelly and Michael attempted to reconcile. Kelly admitted that their relationship was a "nightmare" and referred to Michael as a "control freak." However, she also stated that she realized "it was easier being with him and having my family together than being divorced." She added, "We don’t have a perfect marriage at all, but I’m going to suck it up like my parents did."
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However, the reconciliation was not sustainable. RadarOnline.com reported that police visited the couple’s home 11 times in one year. Ultimately, Kelly decided to end the marriage for good. She declared, "I’m out of there! We’ve have problems for years and I’ve had enough. I’m done with our marriage. We aren’t good together. Maybe we’ll better to each other when we are divorced and are friends. But right now we are both miserable and it’s not good for either one of us, let alone our daughter." She added, “I want out of my marriage as soon as possible. We can figure out the financials of our divorce down the road.”
Kelly's brother, Eric Meza, also weighed in on the situation, hinting at further potential conflict. He stated, “The more she puts out there, the more I’m gonna put out there, and it can get really ugly."
Kelly Dodd's Weight Loss
Kelly Dodd is younger and didn’t have a problem with her skin,” Reagan said. “Her skin is beautiful and Kelly doesn’t have a problem with loss of volume. “Shannon liked what Kelly had done,” Reagan recently told us. “Shannon came in. Her deal was completely different. She’s 10 years older and had some other issues related to her weight loss. So we did a more complex [procedure], but still, it was awake. Both of them had awake procedures, which I think is work for a lot of patients.
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