Making it official. Michelle Branch filed for divorce from husband Patrick Carney days after she accused him of cheating on her, Us Weekly can confirm.
The “Everywhere” songstress, 39, filed papers in Nashville on Friday, August 12, citing irreconcilable differences. In court docs obtained by Us, the songwriter claimed she “has always been the primary caretaker” of the couple’s children, so the Black Keys drummer, 42, “should be required to pay child support.”
The Arizona native and the “Strange Times” musician, who tied the knot in 2019, share son Rhys, 3, and daughter Willa, 6 months. Last week, Branch accused Carney of cheating on her in a since-deleted tweet before announcing that she and her spouse had called it quits.
“To say that I am totally devastated doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel for myself and for my family,” the “Goodbye to You” singer told Us in a statement on Thursday, August 11. “The rug has been completely pulled from underneath me and now I must figure out how to move forward. With such small children, I ask for privacy and kindness.”
Hours before she announced the split, Branch was arrested for alleged domestic assault and taken into custody. “Michelle stated that she and her husband are having marital issues and had been arguing,” read court documents obtained by Us. “The argument began at another location and continued when they arrived home. The argument escalated and Michelle admitted to slapping Patrick in the facial area one to two times.”
The Rentals musician, for his part, told authorities that his wife “slapped him during the argument.” The “Game of Love” artist was later released on $1,000 bail and her next court date was set for November.
In her divorce petition, Branch noted that she and Carney “each have separate property” that they owned prior to their marriage, adding that she expects the court to split those assets accordingly. The Grammy winner also requested that the Audio Eagle Studio founder pay for her attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses.
Less than two months ago, Branch gushed about her husband in an Instagram post honoring him for Father’s Day. “This guy makes our world go around and we love him so ❤️,” she wrote alongside a photo of the Drummer musician with Rhys. “I’m sorry you didn’t get to golf yesterday, Patrick! #FathersDay 🏆.”
The “All You Wanted” crooner was previously married to Teddy Landau from 2004 to 2015. The former spouses share daughter Owen, 17.
Carney, for his part, was married to Denise Grollmus from 2007 to 2009 and to Emily Ward from 2012 to 2016.
With reporting by Diana Cooper
