Jesse Williams Granted Visitation With Kids During New York Broadway Run

Jesse Williams and his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee appeared in court where a judge delivered a ruling about co-parenting, visitation and social media behavior. Get the latest on the pair’s legal fight.

By Mike Vulpo Oct 04, 2022 6:00 PMTags

Jesse Williams' latest legal request has been granted amid a public custody battle with his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee.

According to court documents obtained by E! News, the Grey's Anatomy star was awarded his requested custodial visits with his children Sadie, 8, and Maceo, 7, while he temporarily moves from Los Angeles to New York this fall for his role in Broadway's Take Me Out.

Although Aryn, a real estate agent, previously argued against Jesse's visitation request, the court ruled that their kids can visit the actor on the East Coast during specific days in October, November and December.

A judge also ordered Sept. 30 that the pair—who split in April 2017 after five years of marriage—participate in 10 sessions of co-parenting counseling. According to court documents, counseling fees shall be equally split by the parties. Additionally, Jesse has been ordered to make the first appointment no later than Oct. 31.

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Jesse and Aryn have also been tasked with keeping their family matters private. In the ruling, the judge said, "Each party is restrained from making derogatory remarks about the other party, either directly or indirectly to the minor children, nor allow any third party to do so."

Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images

The court also asked both parties not to ask "excessive questions or interrogate the children about what happened while when in the other parents' custody."

Finally, both Jesse and Aryn have been ordered to not post derogatory remarks about each other on social media, a note that comes two weeks after Aryn seemingly called out the actor's parenting on Instagram.

Shortly after the judge's ruling, Aryn appeared to address the legal battle with a message on Instagram.

"It turns out the court does think it's good for children to regularly fly on overnight flights to accommodate a parent who won't do the same for them. Who knew?" she wrote on Oct. 1. "I knew… Those of us who walk this path know what it is and know what we need to do to protect ourselves and our babes to the best of our ability."

"Every day we show up and do what's needed despite the circumstances," she continued. "I know I journey this road with my head held high and my integrity in tact. Let's see how long it takes for the usual suspects to leak targeted language and storylines painting a particular party as the victim."

E! News has reached out to Jesse and Aryn's teams for comment on the judge's ruling and has not yet heard back.

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