Jaime King, the talented actress, recently shared her experiences regarding the heart-wrenching custody battle for her two sons since her ex-husband, Kyle Newman, was awarded complete custody. In a candid discussion on the Whine Down podcast with host Jana Kramer, which aired on April 10, King emphasized her primary responsibility as a mother: the safety and well-being of her children.
Describing her current state of mind, King revealed that she finds the situation overwhelming and terrifying. She expressed her fears about publicly discussing her battle over custody for her sons, James, 11, and Leo, 9, as they are now under the sole custody of Newman.
In her interview, King addressed the challenges faced by single mothers within the often daunting child custody system:
“I just didn’t know when I got married at a young age. I just didn’t know that the world works like this. I didn’t know that legal systems work like this.”
As reported by Mandatory on March 26, a recent court ruling resulted in Jaime King losing physical custody of her children. Despite Newman receiving sole physical custody, both parents have retained shared legal custody. Currently, King’s visitation rights are restricted to three supervised visits per week.
Jaime King’s Perspective on the Custody Fight
This is the first time King has spoken publicly since the custody ruling. Reflecting on her marriage to Newman, which began in 2007, she conveyed her intense emotions regarding their relationship:
“And not to sound like some kind of neophyte, but I thought that, you know, when you choose to love someone, then you love that person. You build a family with them, and you trust them.”
Kramer, who has experienced her own custody challenges with ex-husband Mike Caussin, sympathized with King, relating her own struggles and acknowledging the difficulties that arise when navigating custody disputes.
“I feel for you because you know, I’ve been in custody stuff with my ex and the relationship. I mean, it’s just hard when it’s just so front and center and you’re dealing with kids, and so I just really empathize with a lot of your story..”
Continuing her discussion, King reflected on the overall unfairness of the custody system:
“I’m extremely grateful, and at the same time, the system is really unfair, and I think that it’s really important to support the structure of family and kindness. Kindness is the key..”
Listen to the full interview here.
The conversation also touched upon King’s assertion regarding her treatment by the legal system, which she believes has been unjust. She stated that her ex-husband had allegedly misrepresented her past to the court in order to gain custody of their children. King’s fight has sparked a desire for reform within the custody system itself.
In 2024, Newman sought sole custody on the grounds that King was incapacitated when caring for their children. This custody arrangement was further complicated when King failed to complete a mandated six-month rehabilitation program for substance abuse.
Watch more insights on her situation here.
As part of her court-mandated recovery, King was required to undergo weekly drug testing, parenting workshops, and both individual and group counseling involving her children. Reports indicate that, due to her incomplete program, King’s visitation rights remain restricted, requiring supervision during her interactions with her sons.
In sharing her story, Jaime King not only highlights the personal struggles of navigating custody issues but also underscores the pressing need for reform in the legal system affecting mothers across the nation.