George Zimmerman Hires Divorce Lawyer

In court proceedings, the saying “Better late than never” does not always apply.

Orlando Sentinel reports that George Zimmerman has retained Tampa lawyer Howard Iken of Ayo & Iken to ask the court to set aside the clerk’s order of default entered against him three weeks ago in his divorce case.

Zimmerman is the 30-year-old man who killed unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on February 26, 2012.  A jury of 6 women acquitted him in July 2013.

Shellie Zimmerman, George’s wife, was charged with perjury following a bond hearing where she misrepresented her knowledge of the couple’s assets.  Just after the verdict in George’s murder trial, Shellie entered a plea agreement where she would serve a year’s probation, pay a fine, and complete 100 hours of community service.  George was not with her in court when she appeared to enter that plea.

Shellie then filed for divorce, reporting that after the verdict, George abandoned her and went on a “victory tour.”  George and Shellie were living in a house owned by Shellie’s parents.  As Shellie was removing her belongings from that house, there was an altercation between her, her dad, and George Zimmerman.  The public caught a glimpse of a woman with George and subsequently learned that Samantha and George were living together.   Shortly thereafter, Samantha and George were in an altercation where George told the police that Samantha was pregnant with his child.

In spite of his actions and sexual intimacy with another woman, George now wants to contest the divorce.  Before he can do that however, the court must first set aside the default judgment.  If the court sets the default aside, it doesn’t mean that George will ask that no divorce be granted.  Rather, he might ask for the court to decide on issues of dividing marital debts and any future assets that Shellie has requested be granted to her.

Florida Rules of Civil Procedures sets forth what a party must prove to the court in order for the court to set-aside a default.