Reese Witherspoon in Court With Estranged Parents for Emergency Conservatorship Hearing

Oscar winner's mother sued her dad for bigamy, alleges he could be in a declining mental state

By Natalie Finn May 11, 2012 11:23 PMTags
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Reese Witherspoon's family drama has apparently just begun.

The pregnant Oscar winner and husband Jim Toth joined her estranged mother and father in a Nashville courtroom today for an emergency conservatorship hearing stemming from the bigamy lawsuit Witherspoon's mom, Betty, filed against the Oscar winner's dad this week.

In seeking to have John D. Witherspoon's Jan. 14 marriage to Patricia Taylor annulled, Betty Witherspoon has alleged that John is suffering from early onset dementia.

And Friday's hearing probably wasn't the reunion anyone was hoping for.

While details of what went on in court have been ordered sealed, Davidson County Probate Judge Randy Kennedy presides over conservatorship cases and mental competency hearings.

According to the Nashville Tennessean, Witherspoon and her brother requested that a conservatorship take over their father's affairs.

In the meantime, Betty has obtained a temporary restraining order preventing Taylor from using the last name Witherspoon for any purpose.

Betty and John have been separated for at least 15 years.