News feed
Sofia Vergara has filed legal papers this month asking a Louisiana court to remove ex-fiancé Nick Loeb’s lawyer from being able to practice in the state. In late-January, American businessman Loeb lost an appeal for custody for two of Vergara’s frozen embryos following their relationship which ended in 2014.
According to Page Six, Loeb’s lawyer, Jalesia McQueen, is based in St. Louis, but was allowed to argue the case in Louisiana “pro hac vice” — legalese for “this occasion only.” The new court documents from the Modern Family star’s legal team allege that McQueen “made false statements in pleadings” and “Mr. Loeb and his counsel knew the statements to be false.”
The legal battle between the former couple comes after IVF treatment in 2013 when Vergara and Loeb were engaged. After they split in 2014, the pair have fought over the ownership of two embryos. It begun in California and was moved to the state of Louisiana where Loeb hoped the state would recognise the embryos’ legal rights.
The 45-year-old’s plan was squashed however as he has never taken up residency in the state. Page Six also reports that the appeals court ruled, “Loeb is not domiciled in, does not maintain a residence in, and does not have the intent to be domiciled or a resident of any parish in the State of Louisiana,” and that, “Vergara has met her burden of proving that her exception of venue was correctly granted by the trial court.”
There is reportedly a pending suit in California from Vergara that is seeking “a permanent injunction to prevent Mr. Loeb from bringing the pre-embryos to term without Ms. Vergara’s express written consent.”
More is to come on this developing story. And may we just say, how a woman needs to fight for this is almost unbelievable.
Vergara is now with actor Joe Manganiello.