Jesse Williams Responds To Ex-Wife's $200K Court Request: "This Is Not A Free Ride"

BY Erika Marie 6.3K Views
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Jesse Williams, Aryn Drake-Lee
His ex wants the court to order Williams to pay $200K attorney's fees.

The court drama between former couple Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee has taken another turn. Their divorce trial is right around the corner, but these two don't seem to be on a path of finding an amicable solution to their dissolution. We previously reported on how Drake-Lee filed paperwork asking a judge to order her estranged husband to pay $200,000 in her attorney fees. That's in addition to the $270,000 he's already paid and $100,000 she's receiving monthly for spousal and child support.

Williams has responded to the request and it sounds exactly how one would expect. According to documents obtained by The Blast, Williams says that his ex is using the money he's dishing out to purchase artwork and not to pay her lawyers. The paperwork reads, "Aryn has been able to avoid seeking meaningful employment, preferring instead to comfortably live off her substantial support...and save money while insisting that only Jesse should pay for the litigation fees for BOTH parties in this case."

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"This Court should send Aryn a message that she too is responsible to pay for her attorneys' and that this is not a free ride whereby she can continue to drive up the fees in this case and expect Jesse to foot the bill." It's reported that Williams will also ask the court to lower his support fee although it's likely that Drake-Lee will argue against this because she claims she's owed approximately $1 million in back child support.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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