Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas to Begin Mediation Over Custody of 2 Children Amid Divorce

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are scheduled for a four-day mediation after he opted out of showing up to court on Tuesday, October 3. Meanwhile, Turner attended via teleconference.

The mediation is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, October 4.

The former pair have been locked in a battle regarding the location of their children's primary residence. Turner would like to be based in England, while Jonas has previously stated he is "okay with the kids being raised both in the U.S. and the UK" though they have "spent the vast majority of their lives in the U.S." and are American citizens.

Judge Katherine Polk Failla asked attorney Stephen Cullen, who is on Turner's legal team, if he thought mediation would be fruitful and if they should focus on that rather than setting a trial schedule. 

Cullen responded that he’s an "eternal optimist" but the case "should proceed in parallel track" to mediation.

Cullen added that the trial, in their opinion, would only need two days and their case is "very straightforward," noting that it would rely on three points: Is England the habitual residence of the children, does his client have rights in England and is she exercising those rights.

Meanwhile, Richard Min, an attorney for Jonas, said discovery in the case would be "more involved than Mr. Cullen believes." He said they would seek to take depositions of "several key witnesses in this case," adding there would be "numerous witnesses that will be required to testify." (Cullen said he "vehemently disagrees with the need for a raft of depositions.")

Jonas filed for divorce last month. After the exes presented a united front in a joint statement on Instagram, things appeared to take a turn as Turner sued Jonas in an attempt to have their two daughters returned to their "forever home" in England.

In those documents obtained by The Messenger, Turner alleged Jonas filed for divorce "very suddenly" after the two had an "argument" on his August 15 birthday. She also claimed that she "found out through the media" about his filing and that he was "refusing" to give her their children's passports.

After a public back-and-forth, which included Jonas denying Turner's claims in a lengthy statement and calling the "unfortunate" lawsuit "misleading at best," the two agreed to keep their kids in New York until Tuesday's hearing.

Failla set a bench trial date to begin on Jan. 2, 2024.