Reese Witherspoon's father sued for bigamy
(CBS/AP) NASHVILLE - Reese Witherspoon's mother is suing the actress' father, John Witherspoon, for bigamy and is asking to have his new marriage annulled.
Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon argues that John Witherspoon, 70, can't be married to Tricianne Taylor because he's still married to her. She says in court documents filed May 8 in Nashville that her husband has taken a second wife who may be taking advantage of his mental condition.
Mary Elizabeth and John Witherspoon have been separated since 1996, but remain married and still attend family functions together, including their Hollywood star daughter's March 2011 marriage.
The filing alleges that Taylor has tried to take out loans as Mrs. John Witherspoon, lives in his condo, has had him sign a new will and drives a vehicle without permission from a family corporation run by Reese Witherspoon.
John Witherspoon and Taylor, 60, wed on Jan. 14 and appeared in a wedding announcement in The Tennessean last month.
Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon, a 63-year-old nurse at Vanderbilt University hospital and a retired Tennessee State professor, says she "loves her husband and does not want a divorce" after 42 years of marriage to the 70-year-old otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor). She also says in the filing she "fears he may be suffering from early onset of dementia," and she has filed a restraining order to stop Taylor from converting any of the family's assets.
According to the lawsuit, Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon says her husband battled alcohol issues and hoarding and overspending problems, reports USA Today.
She says he also tried to bring Taylor to Reese Witherspoon's wedding in California.
"The security officers at the wedding refused to let her in because she was not on the guest list," according to the affidavit, reports USA Today.
Along with the annulment, Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon is asking the court to order Taylor to leave all residences belonging to the family, return all possessions she has acquired and to pay court costs.