After more than five years under wraps, records in R. Kelly’s divorce files will be made public starting next week, a Cook County judge ruled Wednesday.
Files that don’t contain the names of Kelly’s three children or other sensitive information will be made public Monday, with redacted versions of all records in the case to become available within 30 days, Judge Lori Rosen said Wednesday after a two-hour hearing at the Daley Center.
The divorce case between the singer, whose legal name is Robert S. Kelly, and ex-wife Andrea Kelly was filed in 2006, and was placed under seal in 2013. Among the records that will become available in coming weeks are the Kellys’ pre-nuptial agreement and a request by the singer to reduce his support payments.
Media organizations last year petitioned Rosen to make the files public, after a dispute over more than $160,000 in unpaid child support landed the singer in jail in March — just three weeks after Kelly was jailed for several days while gathering the cash to post bond on criminal sexual abuse charges tied to allegations by four women.
In court Wednesday, R. Kelly’s lawyer, Lisa Damico, said her client is paid up on his outstanding child support amounts as well as fees and interest. Neither the singer nor his ex-wife was present for the hearing.
Last month, R. Kelly’s criminal defense attorney, Steve Greenberg, filed a motion seeking to have Rosen hold Andrea Kelly in contempt of court— and consider fining or jailing her— for breaching the divorce settlement by making public comments disparaging her ex-husband. Greenberg asked that Andrea Kelly be required to appear at the next hearing, “so she can go directly to the jail cell that has been warmed up for her.”
Andrea Kelly’s lawyer, Alison Motta, is still seeking legal fees related to litigation over the unpaid support. She said unsealing the records might make R. Kelly less likely to fall behind.
“My client wants her children’s private life to remain private,” Motta said. “When we’re dealing with financial stuff and Robert complying with his obligations, just like anyone else...I feel like it should be open to the public.”
