The acrimonious divorce case of Rudy Giuliani and his estranged wife — the former Judith Stish, a Hazleton native — a battle that had played out in court and across tabloid headlines for more than a year and a half, came to an abrupt and harmonious end Tuesday evening, according to her lawyer.
The couple have resolved all their differences and financial squabbles, according to an emailed statement from Bernard E. Clair, Judith Giuliani’s lawyer, and they “intend to remain friends in the years to come.”
The Giulianis, who had been married since 2003, were to begin their divorce trial in Manhattan early next year.
The details of the settlement will remain confidential, Clair added.
One of the key stumbling blocks in the public and heated divorce battle was Judith Giuliani’s belief that her husband, the former New York City mayor who made millions of dollars a year after leaving office, owed her far more than the $42,000 monthly in support he was providing her during their separation.
Prior media reports last year had Judith Giuliani wanting Rudy Giuliani to foot a $63,000-per-month bill while maintaining personal expenses including the cost of the homes, insurance policies, her mother’s assisted-living home and her personal assistant.
Judith Giuliani asserted that Rudy Giuliani had deliberately taken on pro bono work as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer to claim penury in an effort to reduce future alimony payments.
The often caustic proceedings revealed their lavish lifestyle, including a $230,000 monthly spending habit, and their six houses and 11 country club memberships.
“It seems both parties spend money on certain expenses that are beyond what most Americans spend for clothing, for instance. That was their lifestyle,” Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Michael Katz said last year. “It is beyond me why either party in this case would have an interest in having all of this done publicly.”
He advised them to settle privately, as doing so “would treat their relationship and marriage with more respect than divulging all our dirty laundry out for public consumption.”
They seem to have listened, at last.
“The parties resolved their divorce today, along with all issues concerning support, assets and any other claims,” Clair wrote. “They wish each other the best of luck in the future.”