Jesse Williams and Ex Aryn Drake-Lee Must Take 'High Conflict Parents Program' amid Custody Dispute
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Jesse Williams and his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee have been ordered by a judge to attend a "high conflict parents" program as they navigate their co-parenting relationship.
According to legal documents obtained by PEOPLE, the former couple must "participate in the 'Between Two Parents for High Conflict Parents Program.'"
A rep for Williams had no comment when reached by PEOPLE.
The Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice website explains that "Between Two Parents was created by the Los Angeles Superior Court Family Court Services Department, with funds provided by the Los Angeles Shriver Custody Project."
"As a service to survivors and others involved in high-conflict custody cases, LACLJ presents the video Between Two Parents, created by the Los Angeles Superior Court," the website reads. "Between Two Parents offers many of the lessons provided by extended parenting education classes in an hour-long format."
The Grey's Anatomy star and real estate broker, who share daughter Sadie, 7, and son Maceo, 5, finalized their divorce in October 2020, about three years after initially filing. At the time, documents obtained by PEOPLE showed that the exes would share joint legal and physical custody of their two children.
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images Aryn Drake-Lee; Jesse Williams
RELATED: Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee Finalize Divorce, Agree to Joint Custody of 2 Children
The new court records, however, state that Williams requested to modify "the physical child custody and visitation orders," which was denied.
"The Court does not find sufficient basis to modify the current child custody and visitation orders. The Court further finds that [William]'s request to modify the child custody and visitation orders is not in the best interest of the minor children," the documents state.
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Williams and Drake-Lee, both 39, wed in September 2012 after more than five years together, but the actor filed for divorce in April 2017. Since then, the pair have weathered a series of court battles regarding custody of their children and Williams' child support.
In the October filing, Williams was ordered to pay his ex-wife $40,000 in child support every month, as well as over $100,000 in two upcoming spousal support payments.
Previously, in June 2018, he was ordered to pay more than $50,000 per month in child support in addition to the $50,695 per month in spousal support that he had paid Drake-Lee since January 2018.
Months later, the actor filed an appeal to fight the order, claiming he pays too much.
Paul Redmond/WireImage Jesse Williams and Aryn Drake-Lee
Drake-Lee spoke to PEOPLE in May 2019 about the toll the fraught divorce and custody battle had taken on her family, including her children.
"When you start spinning, the children start spinning, so even if you're looking at them and you're telling them everything is fine, they know it's not fine because they can feel it's not fine," she said.
"I talk to them on their level," Drake-Lee added. "It's also okay for the children to see me crying, to see that I'm having a hard day today. Because that lets them know that when they have those hard days, there's also room for that."
