Jaime King's ex-husband Kyle Newman awarded sole physical custody of their sons, including Taylor Swift's godson

Legal filings in the pair’s torturous and long-running fight over their children, which were obtained by People, show that though 48-year-old Newman and his ex-wife King, aged 44, will share legal custody of their boys, he will have “tie-breaking authority” over legal custody decisions.

The ruling also grants him sole physical custody, with the children, James, age 11, and Leo, nine, living primarily with their father. Leo’s godmother is singing sensation Taylor Swift.

King, who split with Newman in 2020 after 13 years of marriage, has been granted visitation rights but must be supervised during visits, which are permitted three times a week in specified time blocks.

Approved supervisors include the actress’ mother, sister and brother-in-law, as well as Newman’s brother, Kevin Newman. A court addendum states King must have supervised visitation as she has not completed a six-month drug and alcohol programme, including weekly testing, aftercare and a 12-step programme.

Additionally, she must complete a 26-week parenting course, attend individual counselling and participate in conjoint counselling with the children when deemed appropriate by their therapist.

The ruling follows a long-running custody battle which started in April 2024, when King filed an emergency request to modify their spousal and child support agreement, arguing she lacked the financial means to continue payments. Documents obtained by People stated she sought to end the spousal support agreement from April 2022.

In response, Newman claimed King had been “out of compliance with the court’s child and spousal support orders for well over a year”.

Newman and King were married in 2007 at Greystone Park and Manor in Los Angeles. He filed for divorce in May 2020 and their divorce was finalised in September 2023.

At the time their separation was announced, the actress also filed a domestic violence prevention petition and an emergency motion regarding child custody and visitation. Allegations of substance abuse have been a recurring issue in their custody dispute.

In documents from May 2020, King stated Newman staged an “intervention” in January of that year, telling family and friends she was struggling with addiction. She said she agreed to attend a treatment facility to prove she was not using drugs and was discharged after testing negative for substances.

In his filings. Newman described King as “a chronic drug addict and alcoholic who refuses to acknowledge that she has a problem, let alone seek meaningful treatment”. He claimed her substance use had impacted her parenting, stating “several friends” informed him she used opiates and drank alcohol while she was pregnant with their eldest son James.

He further alleged she continued drug use while pregnant with youngest son Leo, leading to a congenital heart defect that required surgery immediately after birth. Newman’s declaration also described incidents of King allegedly driving under the influence with their children in the car, becoming intoxicated in their presence and leaving them unattended for extended periods.

He also claimed on one occasion she left their boy Leo at a doctor’s appointment with a nanny and was later found at a liquor store purchasing alcohol.