Channing Tatum Accuses Jenna Dewan of "Delay Tactic" in Divorce Battle
Originally appeared on E! Online
Channing Tatum wants to move forward.
The Blink Twice actor is firing back at ex Jenna Dewan's latest request in their ongoing divorce battle, accusing her motion of being a "delay tactic" and asking that it be denied, according to a filing obtained by E! News Aug. 28.
In the document, Tatum called out Dewan for filing a motion to disqualify his lawyers from working on their case three months before the pair are supposed to go to trial, claiming the move is a "transparent attempt to divert the Court’s attention" from her desire to "delay these proceedings."
And the Magic Mike alum—who shares 11-year-old daughter Everly with Dewan—provided reasons why he believes her petition is simply an effort to stall, arguing that her request is "devoid of any legal or factual support."
Noting that the Rookie actress—who filed for divorce from Tatum in 2018—has "never been a client" at either of his teams' law firms, the filing explained that his lawyers, therefore, do not possess any "confidential information" about her that would give them an unfair advantage in court.
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"In short, Petitioner’s RFO is nothing more than a frivolous filing that has no basis in law or fact," the document read, "and is solely designed to delay the upcoming trial in this action."
And Tatum's request didn't end there. The 44-year-old—who is engaged to Zo? Kravitz—also asked that Dewan be required to reimburse him $20,000 for the legal fees that her delay has incurred, writing that the cost will hopefully "deter such obstreperous conduct in the future."
E! News reached out to Dewan's rep for comment but has not heard back.
This isn't the first time Tatum has accused Dewan—who also shares son Callum, 4, and daughter Rhiannon, 2 months, with fiancé Steve Kazee—of slowing down their six-year legal battle.
Back in May, the actor made the same allegation after Dewan alleged in separate documents that he put earnings from his Magic Mike trilogy into "an irrevocable trust" and transferred licensing rights to a third party without telling her—despite them acquiring the franchise's intellectual property rights together.
In response, Channing denied her claims, writing in a follow-up paperwork obtained by E!, "It is designed to delay the processing of the case and increase the expense of litigation and will not, in any way, promote 'early resolution by settlement,' in a case where five separate mediation sessions have resulted in Petitioner's simply ignoring a tendered proposed judgment for months."
For a full breakdown of their years-long divorce battle, read on...
While Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan were declared legally separated in 2019 after eight years of marriage, the Step Up costars remain in dispute over financial matters. They are parents to 10-year-old daughter Everly.
In April 2024, Dewan filed documents, requesting that she and Tatum "testify regarding all issues related to the parties’ marriage including business and financial activities."
She also submitted a preliminary exhibit list that requests personal and corporate tax returns and other financial documents, including those regarding profits from the Magic Mike franchise.
![<p>The <em>Rookie</em> actress alleges in the case that they acquired the <em>Magic Mike</em> intellectual property together. She accuses Tatum of putting its earnings into "an irrevocable trust" and transferred licensing rights to a third party without telling her, <em><a href="https://people.com/jenna-dewan-wants-channing-tatum-as-witness-in-divorce-trial-steve-kazee-8629884" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:People;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">People</a> </em>reported, citing court documents.</p> <p>Tatum disputed her claim in his own filing, obtained by E! News.</p> <p>"The <em>Magic Mike</em> intellectual property was created during marriage and various entities that relate to the intellectual property were created during marriage and after separation," the documents state. "[Tatum] has expended extensive efforts since separation towards the enhancement of the <em>Magic Mike</em> intellectual property and related entities, which [he] contends give rise to his separate property interest therein."</p> <p>The court, his attorney notes in the filing, "will need to allocate the community interest and [Tatum's] separate property interest in the intellectual property and related entities in consideration of [his] post-separation efforts."</p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/QlvfrIRNQSu.K1G87GCGDA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE1NTE-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/e__181/cf2846195c02cdf540cc2cb18cc01976)
The Rookie actress alleges in the case that they acquired the Magic Mike intellectual property together. She accuses Tatum of putting its earnings into "an irrevocable trust" and transferred licensing rights to a third party without telling her, People reported, citing court documents.
Tatum disputed her claim in his own filing, obtained by E! News.
"The Magic Mike intellectual property was created during marriage and various entities that relate to the intellectual property were created during marriage and after separation," the documents state. "[Tatum] has expended extensive efforts since separation towards the enhancement of the Magic Mike intellectual property and related entities, which [he] contends give rise to his separate property interest therein."
The court, his attorney notes in the filing, "will need to allocate the community interest and [Tatum's] separate property interest in the intellectual property and related entities in consideration of [his] post-separation efforts."
Dewan included in her preliminary witness list several people who worked on the Magic Mike trilogy with Tatum, including director Steven Soderbergh and producers Nick Wechsler and Peter Kiernan.
In his own preliminary witness list, filed in court one day after Dewan submitted her documents and also obtained by E! News, Tatum included his ex-wife's fiancé Steve Kazee.
After Dewan accused her ex of hiding part of his earnings, Tatum—who is engaged to Zo? Kravitz—filed new documents May 2 claiming her accusations are false.
"I have never denied Petitioner her share of any community assets or income," he said. "I have always agreed for Petitioner to have an interest in the Magic Mike intellectual property and related entities."
He continued, "During our marriage, Petitioner had equal access to our business managers and financial records. We communicated about our work and various projects on a regular basis. Since our separation, Petitioner has had complete access to all our financial records for all activities during our marriage and since separation."
The documents also argue that Jenna's petition are intended to further hold up their divorce.
"It is designed to delay the processing of the case and increase the expense of litigation and will not, in any way, promote 'early resolution by settlement,'" the documents argue, "in a case where five separate mediation sessions have resulted in Petitioner's simply ignoring a tendered proposed judgment for months."
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