Source: gospelconnoisseur.com

The credibility and fairness of Fulton County Superior Court Judge, Bensonetta Tipton Lane became somewhat questionable last year when she granted R&B crooner, Usher Raymond custody of his two sons as opposed to their mother, Tameka Foster. Foster’s attorney, Lisa West revealed that when she learned that the judge had failed to disclose Raymond’s attorney, John Mayoue had prior dealings with her, she motioned that the judge order a new trial due to the clear conflict of interest. According to reports Mayoue had assisted her in her 2008 campaign, raising 83 percent of donations.  CBS Atlanta is reporting that this isn’t the only case where the judge’s ethics are being questioned.

“I see no reason why she shouldn’t have been forthcoming with that information,” said Georgia State University College of Law professor, Clark Cunningham of Lane’s failure to disclose.

Robin Fisher also revealed that the manner in which many decisions in her 2008 divorce were handled left her questioning whether or not the judge was bias in her rulings. She expressed that Lane didn’t allow any evidence that would’ve been harmful to her husband’s case in addition to other questionable rulings, which included prohibiting her from speaking about her divorce two years after it ended.

“I couldn’t get justice. She took away my First Amendment right. My freedom of speech,” Fisher said.

Fisher’s ex-husband was represented by John Mayoue as well. She expressed that just when she was about to give up fighting in court, she learned that CBS Atlanta had been investigating the exact same judge for allegations of bias.

“It was a light bulb went off. It didn’t have anything to do with her hating my attorney. It had nothing to do with her hating me. It had to do with her connection to John Mayoue,” Robin said.

When CBS Atlanta asked the judge whether or not she always ruled in favor of John Mayoue, she responded:

“Only when he’s right.”

Gracie Ortiz Terrett also believes thats Judge Lane ruled unfairly when it came to her divorce case due to the fact that her ex-husband used to work at the Fulton County Superior Court. She expressed that Lane greatly diminished the time in which she is allowed to spend with her children for no actual reason, as there were never accusations of abuse or neglect.

“Children are affected by the decisions [Lane] makes. And if she’s going to make decisions based on relationships, financials, based on campaigns, then she doesn’t belong there,” she said.

Look’s like Tameka and her attorney may not have been crying wolf after all.

Check out footage of the full report on the next page. What do you think of this?

WENN.com

It has been a rocky road for some of Hollywood’s most notable names when it comes to their children. Custody battles aren’t exactly a rarity in Hollywood, but it it’s not often that judges rule in favor of men and award them custody of their children while offering their ex-wives visitation and sometimes no rights at all. That’s the situation all of these celebrity women found themselves in as they had to relinquishment their position as sole guardian and try their best to co-parent from afar.

Apega/WENN

From HelloBeautiful

Tameka Raymond wants you to know that she has a new man and may finally be over ex-husband Usher. Tameka who was on vacay in Anguilla with her boys, posted a few pics of a mystery man followed by some cryptic tweets that led her followers to assume she had gotten back with Usher (why would anyone think this would ever happen is beyond me??)

Read the tweets at HelloBeautiful

WENN

For some of our favorite celebs, 2012 couldn’t end fast enough. We all take time to reflect on the good and the bad as we bid another year adieu, but these stars have seen their shine fade more than just a bit over the past 12 months. While some of these disappointments didn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone, we do hope that these folks get some help and get their lives back on track. After all, 2013 is a new year, and a new chance to get it right.

Source: WENN

Tameka Foster thinks you’re off your rocker if you believe Usher evicted her from the $3.2 million dollar Atlanta mansion that the two once shared. Okay, she didn’t say those words exactly, but that appears to be what the superstar stylist meant when she took to her Twitter page to publicly deny rumors that Usher was evicting her.

“People write without using COMMON sense. Evicted really? This s**t gets boring & sickening 2 read or hear.. Family callin’, just dumb as hell.”

There have been whispers for months surrounding the fate of the Raymonds’ former love nest once the two had officially divorced, but those whispers grew louder as TMZ stirred the pot when they reported that Usher listed Tameka’s current home for sale for $3.2 million dollars. The home is said to include 6 bedrooms, 7 baths, 10-foot ceilings, massive pool, in-home gym, 4 fireplaces, and a library.”

Foster seems to be totally disgusted with the gullibility of the public and she had a few disgruntled words for the press as well.

“What an utter waste of such a blessed skill. Bastardization of education. Write laws, grants, text or childrens books. Not LIES & innuendo.”

While the fact that Usher has reportedly put the home that she currently resides in up for sale does make the rumors appear to be true, possibly the two have worked something out where Tameka may have decided to voluntarily leave. But then again, I don’t know many people who admit to being evicted by their ex-husband after a very public and bitter divorce either.

Whether the rumors are true or not, Tameka seems to be a big girl who has no problem taking care of herself and her children so she will probably be fine either way.

We hope that things works out for her and considering all that she has gone through in the last year and that brighter, drama-free days are ahead.

What do you think of Tameka’s response?

Jazmine Denise is a writer living in New York. Follow her on Twitter @jazminedenise

From TMZ

Usher is finally making good on his threats to evict ex-wife Tameka Raymond from the house she still calls home … officially listing his Georgia mansion for a cool $3.2 million.

Usher bought the 12,544 square-foot pad in 2007 — while still married to Tameka — for $3 million. He officially listed the digs last week.

Source: lindaikeji.blogspot.com

The “should she or shouldn’t she take his last name” is a topic of constant debate. The majority of brides decide to take their husband’s last name or at least hyphenate. But when that marriage ends in divorce, then what? Is it weird when a woman keeps her married name after the couple calls it quits?

After a short-lived marriage, Usher Raymond and Tameka Raymond went through a highly publicized divorce and custody battle. The two were at each other’s throats in the courtroom and in social media. Though the couple’s marriage lasted less than two years (and they reportedly lived separately for an entire year in that time), Tameka still goes by “Tameka Raymond”. Some news outlets have begun referring to her as “Tameka Foster” despite no evidence that she has any intention on going back to her maiden name.

Is that weird though? Is it odd that she would keep a last name from a marriage that expired faster than a box of cereal?

I think so. Keeping that last name is a pretty clear indication of her desire to continue to reap any benefits that come from being married to Usher despite no longer being married to him. Of course, some will say, what about the kids? To which I say, what about the kids?  She has four kids by three different men, so the “same last name as my kids” thing doesn’t apply to her.

Of course Tameka is hardly the first divorced woman to raise eyebrows for keeping her ex-husband’s last name.

Last year, when NecoleBitchie.com asked Shaunie O’Neal why she kept “O’Neal” after the divorce, she said she kept it for the kids and because she “earned this name”. According to Webster: “earn” means to receive as return for effort and especially for work done or services rendered. So apparently, Shaunie that keeping “O’Neal” is worth something and she deserves whatever benefits come with that as a result of being married to him for seven years.

When Detroit Radio Station WJLB’s Morning Show asked Kimora Lee Simmons why she kept “Simmons” despite being remarried to Djimon Hounsou, she said:

“Oh my G-d! Cause then… I don’t know! Would my companies still be the same? Ive already been Kimora Lee Simmons for 10 years. I don’t know. Would you ask Ivana Trump that? When it comes to my brand, My brand is KLS (Kimora Lee Simmons). It would be hard to change it to KLH… I think professional the name remains the same, but in my personal life I am definitely a Hounsou… Russell doesn’t care. I worked as hard for that name as he did!”

Again, she feels she “earned” it and has no desire to drop it despite being remarried to another man.

There are countless other Hollywood exes who keep their famous husbands’ last name and some would agree they’ve “earned it” as well. Look no further than the show “Hollywood Exes” for example. Only Prince’s ex-wife Mayte Garcia is going by her maiden name and Sheree Fletcher has her new husband’s last name. Many had no idea that R. Kelly was even married but his ex-wife is indeed “Andrea Kelly”.

Regular women don’t always drop the former husband’s last name either — especially those who were married to their ex-husbands for a long time. It’s not always about wanting to remain associated with the ex, sometimes it’s about the fact that his last name is no longer just his, it’s also hers and it’s part of her identity. Also, some women keep their last name because it is the same last name as their child(ren). Still others have established themselves with a certain name and it can be an unnecessary hassle to change it.

When kids aren’t involved, or the person hasn’t established a career based on that name, sharing the ex-husband’s name can be strange — especially when the marriage wasn’t long in the first place. It’s even more bizarre when the ex-husband has married someone else. I have a friend on Facebook who unceremoniously left her husband after two years of marriage. Five years later she’s still got his last name and he’s re-married to another woman. Awkward.

We all have our own reasons for doing things though and just as it’s a personal choice when a woman decides to take her new husband’s name after marriage, it’s a personal choice when she decides to keep it or discard it after a divorce. When you marry, you vow to stay married til’ death and though people change and vows are broken, you can always opt to take that surname to the grave.

What do you think? Is it odd for a woman to keep her ex-husband’s last name? Would you (did you) keep your husband’s last name after a divorce?

Raime probably received some of the best treatment of her life from the good people over at African Pride.

African Pride sponsored “My Pride. My Way” Glam Weekend in which the winner would receive an all expense paid weekend in Atlanta, a make over, photoshoot and a private dinner with recording artist Miguel.

Raime Reed was the lucky winner and she brought along guest, Lajoya Reed.

Raime’s hair was styled by Gail Hudson, her makeup by Christian Balenciaga and Tameka Foster (Usher’s Ex- Wife) put her outfit together

Check out some of the pictures from the weekend below.

Getting pampered. Must be nice!

Contest winner, Raime Reed and her guest Lajoya Reed. It's good to have lucky friends!

What do you think of Miguel's glasses in this pic?

The ladies enjoy dinner with recording artist Miguel.