Actress Kelly Rutherford, who played Lily van der Woodsen on “Gossip Girl,” has been granted temporary sole custody of her two children in a protracted dispute that sparked an online petition.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Juhas ruled that son Hermes, 8, and daughter Helena, 5, be brought back to the United States from Monaco, where they have been living with their father, Daniel Giersch.
“We are pleased that the Los Angeles Superior Court acted swiftly on Friday, May 22nd to confirm its continuing jurisdiction over the custody matter and the parties’ two children,” Rutherford’s attorney, David Glass, said in an email. “We remain hopeful that Mr. Giersch, after reviewing the Orders, will cooperate fully and assist us in peacefully transferring the children to Kelly’s custody.”
The couple married in August 2006, separated in December 2008 and was divorced in July 2010.
According to Rutherford’s attorneys, she recently traveled to see her children in France but was denied access by Giersch at this last minute.
He claimed she was refusing to turn over the children’s passports. Rutherford argued that she was willing to have a mutually agreed party hold them but did not want to turn the documents over to a designee of Giersch’s choice.
The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for June 15.