Wonder what Elle Woods would’ve thought of this?
Reese Witherspoon‘s emergency petition for her father, Dr. John Witherspoon, to be placed in a temporary conservatorship was dismissed by a Nashville judge who also ordered that his file be sealed from the public, citing privacy concerns.
News of the conservatorship bid’s dismissal was first reported by Nashville’s The Tennessean, whose lawyers filed suit with the court along with a local news channel demanding all legal records in the matter be unsealed in the public’s interest.
However, Circuit Judge Randy Kennedy sided with Witherspoon’s legal eagle that disclosure of the case’s details amounted to voyeurism and tabloid journalism, noting that the release of such documents to the public would “cause undue harm and embarrassment to the parties.”
Either way, the judge and lawyers for both Witherspoon and her estranged parents agreed that since there was no longer an emergency, the pregnant Oscar winner and her brother’s bid for temporary guardianship should be dropped. In the meantime, Betty Witherspoon has obtained a temporary restraining order barring Taylor from using the last name Witherspoon for any purpose.
Andra Hedrick, attorney for Reese Witherspoon, could not be reached for comment. No word whether the media outlets will appeal the decision to keep the proceedings private.