I read last week that ex-supermodel Christie Brinkley (she of Uptown Girl video fame) and her ex-husband Hamptons architect Peter Cook have agreed to never speak to one another again.

No doubt there are many divorced people around the world thinking "That's about the only thing my ex and I ever agreed on - not to speak to each other ever again!" but in the legal world this is rather different. The court would only agree to such a radical step if the parties concerned demonstrated that they could not (as opposed to would not) speak with each other. This is particularly pertinent because it seems that the couple cannot even bring themselves to discuss arrangements for their teenage children and instead will employ a 'parent coordinator' to act as the go-between and supervise the contact arrangements and general family dealings. The appointment of this coordinator has therefore been agreed by the court.

It seems, however, that Ms Brinkley is less than impressed with not just her ex-husband but also the legal system, taking to her Facebook page to declare: "I finally won the right to establish boundaries with provisions such as an intermediary to deal with email bullying, verbal and emotional abuse.
"I am hopeful the steps taken will now protect my Constitutional right to quiet enjoyment and peace and serve as a template for the courts to help others avoid the lengthy trials and tribulations that cost taxpayers money, and at a cost to families that CAN be calculated in dollars. But it's the emotional toll which can only be measured in tears that must be considered by the courts and media alike.

"It has been an odyssey of frustration as I have navigated the court system with one goal to find peace and protection for my family from the various forms of abuse at the hands of a narcissist."

As a divorce lawyer, I would have to say that a client using this sort of language about their ex is not unusual, but to do so on such a public forum as Facebook is perhaps unwise. And as is so often the case, it is the children I worry about. Brinkley's children by previous husband Richard Taubman -daughter Sailor, 14 and son Jack, 17 - were both adopted by Mr Cook, so this further fracturing of their family must be extremely difficult to deal with and surely cannot be helped by this incredibly public relationship breakdown.

Unfortunately, divorcing couples are usually so caught up in scoring points against one another they completely forget that there are other, often young, usually vulnerable, lives that will be affected as well.

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