Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void.^[1] Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place (though some jurisdictions provide that the marriage is only void from the date of the annulment). For example, this is the case in section 12 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 in England and Wales.

In strict legal terminology, annulment refers only to making a voidable marriage null; if the marriage is void ab initio, then it is automatically null, although a legal declaration of nullity is required to establish this. The process of obtaining such a declaration is similar to the annulment process. Despite its retroactive nature, children born before the annulment are considered legitimate in the United States and many other countries.

The marriage annulments are closely associated with the Roman Catholic Church, which teaches marriage is a life long commitment and cannot be dissolved through divorce, but can be annulled if invalidly entered into.

Annulment in the Catholic Church[link]

The followers of the Catholic Church consider a marriage a valid contract entered into between a man and a woman and God. The priest oversees the wedding but the marriage is performed by the man and woman to God. In simplest terms, it is necessary that it be marriage that is contracted, that it actually be contracted (i.e., a valid ceremony/contract be performed), and that both parties enter willingly into the contract. If any of these conditions lack, then the marriage is not contracted, Divine sanction is not obtained, and there is in actual (and religious) fact no marriage. An annulment is a finding later that there was no actual marriage contracted in God's eyes, and therefore no marriage in reality, regardless of civil ordinance or appearance to humans.

Therefore, an annulment of a marriage is much more analogous to a finding that a contract of sale was invalid, and hence, that the property for sale must be considered to have never legally transferred possession, than analogous to a divorce, which is more like returning the property after a consummated sale. These four preconditions give rise to the common fourfold classifications for bases of annulment, defect of form, defect of contract, or unwilling or unable parties.

• The contract is defective in form if the marriage ceremony is invalid, such as the case of two Catholic persons being married outside of the Catholic Church.
• The contract is defective of contract if it was not a marriage that was contracted, such as if there was a defect of intent on either side. This can occur if either party lacked the intent to enter into a lifelong, exclusive union, open to reproduction.
• If either party was coerced, they lacked willingness, and therefore lacked intent.
• If either party was married to another, they were unable to enter into the contract. Also, certain relationships of blood render the parties unable to enter into contract. Also, parties of the same gender are unable to enter into contract.

A "Declaration of Nullity" is not a dissolution of a marriage, but rather a determination of whether a marriage was a sacrament (valid) or contrary in some way to Divine Law as understood by the Catholic Church or contrary to the prescriptions of canon law regulating marriage. While some may try to use an annulment to get around the "no divorce" rule (see Christian views on divorce), that is not the reason the Church gives for the availability of annulment. According to the Church, an annulment affirms the Scriptural basis of divorce and at the same time affirms that in a true marriage, a man and a woman become one flesh before the eyes of God. The Church's teaching on marriage is that it is a Sacrament and that it is only validly contracted by the two individuals, so questions may arise as to whether that person is able to contract a valid marriage. In the Western tradition, the ministers of the marriage are the two individuals themselves, and the priest is a witness for the Church.

For this reason (or for other reasons that render the marriage null and void) the Church, after an examination of the situation by the competent ecclesiastical tribunal, can declare the nullity of a marriage, i.e., that the marriage never existed. In this case the contracting parties are free to marry, provided the natural obligations of a previous union are discharged. -Catechism of the Catholic Church #1629

Canon law presumes all marriages are valid until proven otherwise (Canon 1060).

Marriages are declared null ab initio, meaning that the marriage has been essentially invalid from the beginning. This stipulation can cause concern that offspring from the marriage will be considered as illegitimate in the event of an annulment. Canon 1137 of the Code of Canon Law specifically affirms the legitimacy of children born in both recognized and putative marriages (those later declared null). Critics point to this as additional evidence that a Catholic annulment is similar to divorce — although civil laws that recognized both annulments and divorce regard the offspring of a putative marriage as legitimate.

An annulment verified by the Catholic Church is independent from obtaining a civil divorce, although before beginning a process in front of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal, it has to be clear that the marriage community cannot be rebuilt. Another exception occurs in some states, which recognise to the Catholic Church the right to perform marriages that are automatically transcribed to the civil records: in those countries, the annulment may be granted the exequatur and hence induce a civil divorce. This is for instance the case in Italy.

If someone has all the signs of being married previously, he or she must get an annulment before entering into a marriage in the Catholic Church, even if the individual was not married in the Catholic Church previously. Catholics acknowledge the indissolubility of marriage for any persons who give themselves freely in the bond of marriage and recognize the marriages of other Christians in most cases.

Privilege of the Faith cases (Petrine and Pauline) are exceptions. Pauline privilege: In a case where two non-baptized are married, and one of them becomes a Christian afterwards, and the other will not get baptized and refuses to live in peace with the newly Christian partner, the marriage may be dissolved and the Christian partner is free to remarry in Church. This is not an annulment as the former marriage is not presumed to have been invalid.

A common misconception is that if a marriage is annulled, the Catholic Church is saying the marriage never took place. The parties to the marriage know that the marriage took place. The Church is saying that the marriage was not valid; the valid marriage is what did not take place.

Reasons for annulment[link]

A reason for annulment is called a diriment impediment to the marriage. Prohibitory impediments (which no longer exist in the Latin Code, CIC83) make entering a marriage wrong but do not invalidate the marriage, such as being betrothed to another person at the time of the wedding; diriment impediments, such as being brother and sister, or being married to another person at the time of the wedding, prevent such a marriage from being contracted at all. Such unions are called putative marriages.

Diriment impediments include:

• Consanguinity
• Insanity precluding ability to consent
• Not intending, when marrying, to remain faithful to the spouse (simulation of consent)
• One partner had been deceived by the other in order to obtain consent, and if the partner had been aware of the truth, would not have consented to marry
• Abduction of a person, with the intent to compel them to marry (known as raptus), constitutes an impediment as long as they remain in the kidnapper's power.
• Failure to adhere to requirements of canon law for marriages, such as clandestinity
• killed the spouse of one of them in order to be free to marry.
• The spouse committed adultery.
• The couple were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the marriage.
• The union was not consummated.

Some impediments can be dispensed, in which the Church exempts a couple, prior to the marriage, to the obligation to conform to the canon law. While some relationships cannot have the impediment of consanguity dispensed, a marriage can be sanctioned between cousins. This renders the marriage valid, and so non-annulable. Again, if an invalid marriage has been contracted, and the diriment impediment can be removed, a convalidation or sanatio in radice can be performed to make the marriage valid.

Annulment in New York State[link]

The cause of action for annulment in New York State is generally fraud (DRL §140 (e)). There are other arguments; see the Statute.

Fraud generally means the intentional deception of the Plaintiff by the Defendant in order to induce the Plaintiff to marry. The misrepresentation must be substantial in nature, and the Plaintiff's consent to the marriage predicated on the Defendant’s statement. The perpetration of the fraud (prior to the marriage), and the discovery of the fraud (subsequent to the marriage) must be proven by corroboration of a witness or other external proof, even if the Defendant admits guilt (DRL §144). The time limit is three years (not one year). This does not run from the date of the marriage, but the date the fraud was discovered, or could reasonably have been discovered.

A bigamous marriage (one party was still married at the time of the second marriage) cannot be annulled —it is void ab initio (not legal from its inception). However, either party (as well as certain other parties) can petition the Court with an "Action to Declare the Nullity of a Void Marriage" (DRL §140 (a)). The Court, upon proper pleadings, renders a judgment that the marriage is void. There may be effects of marriage such as a property settlement and even maintenance if the court finds it equitable to order such relief.

Annulment in the state of Nevada[link]

In Nevada, the qualifications for annulment^[2] include: a marriage that was void at the time performed (such as blood relatives, bigamy), lacked consent (such as, underage, intoxication, insanity), or is based on some kind of dishonesty. See also Nevada Annulment Statutes. To file actions based on fraud, you must have separated from your spouse as soon as you learned of the fraud.

Annulments in Nevada require a residency of at least 6 weeks, including a signed witness statement of having been living in Nevada for that amount of time.

Multiple annulments[link]

• Henry VIII of England had three^[3][4][5][6] of his six marriages annulled. These marriages were to Catherine of Aragon (on the grounds that she had already been married to his brother); Anne Boleyn^[6] (on the grounds that she had allegedly seduced him with witchcraft and was unfaithful—not wishing to execute his legal wife, he offered her an easy death if she would agree to an annulment); and Anne of Cleves^[7] (on the grounds of non-consummation of the marriage and the fact that she had previously been engaged to someone else). Catherine Howard never had her marriage annulled. She had committed adultery with Thomas Culpeper during the marriage, and she had flirted with members of his court. Because of this, on November 22, 1541, it was proclaimed at Hampton Court that she had "forfeited the honour and title of Queen," and was from then on to be known only as the Lady Catherine Howard. Under this title she was executed for high treason three months later.^[8]

• The San Francisco 2004 same-sex weddings, originally authorized by mayor Gavin Newsom, were annulled in August 2004 due to a court ruling.

See also[link]

• Alimony
• Catholic marriage theology
• Divorce
• Nullity (conflict) for a discussion of the rules relating to the annulment of marriage (conflict) in the Conflict of Laws
• Separation

Notes[link]

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2009)

External links[link]

Look up annulment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Catholic Encyclopedia "Canonical Impediments"
• Catholic Encyclopedia "Validation of Marriage"
• New York State Domestic Relations Law, Article 9

Winnie Monsod
3rd Director-General of the National Economic Development Authority
In office 1986–1989
President	Corazon Aquino
Preceded by	Cesar Virata
Succeeded by	Jesus Estanislao
Personal details
Born	(1940-07-29) July 29, 1940 (age 71) Manila, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Spouse(s)	Christian S. Monsod
Relations	5 siblings
Children	Solita Noemi Toby Melissa Teresa Patricia Christian Enrique Katrina Diane Noelle
Alma mater	University of the Philippines; University of Pennsylvania
Occupation	Economist, Professor, TV Host

Solita Collas-Monsod, popularly known as Mareng Winnie, is a Filipino broadcaster, host, economist, professor, and writer.

Professor Monsod is best remembered for her role as Socio-economic Planning Secretary during the term of President Corazon Aquino and as a co-host in the GMA Network show Debate with Mare and Pare with former Pangasinan Governor and 1998 vice presidential candidate Oscar Orbos.

Monsod graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree, Cum Laude at the University of the Philippines in 1959. She obtained a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1962 and became a Ph.D. Economics Candidate, having completed all requirements except her dissertation, in 1963.

Monsod has been teaching in the University of the Philippines School of Economics since 1963. In 2005, she was nominated to be the President of the University of the Philippines System, an office tasked with the management of all UP campuses nationwide. In 2010, she was named Professor Emeritus of the university.^[1]

In October 2010, a video of Monsod's last lecture in Economics 100.1 (Introduction to Macroeconomics) became a viral hit online. In her impromptu remarks, she said: "You're going to be as good and as honorable as you should be. You are going to stay in the Philippines. And if you leave the Philippines, you are at least going to try to pay back. And if you don't do any of the above, this is my last threat to you. Mrs. Monsod is going to haunt you! From the grave! I intend to go up there and from up there I'm going to look down on you and I am going to confront you at the worst possible moments in your life." ^[2]

Monsod co-hosted the now defunct show Palaban with investigative journalist Malou Mangahas and former beauty queen Miriam Quiambao.

Currently, Monsod hosts the weekly segment Analysis in the news program News on Q on QTV Network. She also writes a bi-weekly column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Monsod was the Cabinet Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning from 1986 to 1989 during the administration of President Corazon Aquino. She was concurrently Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the economic policy research agency of the Philippine government.

Monsod ran for the Senate of the Philippines under the administration party of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, People Power Coalition in the 2001 national elections but lost.

In 2005, Monsod became an outspoken critic of Arroyo upon massive allegations of election cheating, graft and corruption.

Winnie Monsod was a member of the UN Committee for Development Planning (UNCDP) from 1987 to 2000 and the Board of Trustees of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on January 1996. She was also a member of the Board of Advisors of Human Development Report on 1993 and the Board of Advisors of South Centre, which as established to follow-up the recommendations of the South Commission, organized in 1987 at the initiative of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad of Malaysia and chaired by Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, from 1991 to 1995. The Commission issued a report in 1990 entitled The Challenge of the South which has since been translated in five languages.

Solita Monsod is married to Christian S. Monsod, a corporate executive and one-time Chairman of the Philippine Commission on Elections. They have five children holding different careers.

Television career[link]

• 1974–1976 GMA Evening Report (correspondent)
• 1976–1986 News at Seven (commentator)
• 1989–1995 GMA Balita (commentator)
• 1995–1999 Saksi (co-anchor)
• November 1998–February 2001, July 2001–November 2006 Debate with Mare at Pare co-host

Awards[link]

Monsod is a recipient of numerous awards for broadcasting and government service.

• Broadcaster of the Year, 2000. Award presented by KBP.
• Best TV Program Host, Public Affairs Program. Award presented by Star Awards.
• Best Public Affairs Program, 2000. Award presented by Catholic Mass Media Awards.
• Best TV Program Host, Public Affairs Program, 1999. Award presented by Star Awards.
• Woman of Distinction, 1995. Award presented by Soroptimist International Makati.
• Woman of the Year, 1988. Award presented by Perspectives, publication of the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines.
• Cabinet Secretary of the Year, 1988 and 1999. Award presented by the Philippine Free Press.
• Professional Award in Economics, 1987. Award presented by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association.
• Mariang Maya Award. Presented by the Sigma Delta Phi Alumnae Association, University of the Philippines.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Honor and Excellence (Prof. Monsod's last lecture to her class)
• 2001 Senatorial Page
• GMA Broadcasting Network
• University of the Philippines Diliman
• National Economic Development Authority
• Audio interview with Winnie Monsod (March 2010)

Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney performing on March 8, 2008 at the Jupiter Bar & Grill in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Background information
Birth name	Kenneth Arnold Chesney
Born	(1968-03-26) March 26, 1968 (age 44)
Origin	Luttrell, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Country
Occupations	singer-songwriter
Instruments	vocals, guitar, bass
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Capricorn, BNA
Associated acts	Buddy Cannon, George Strait, Dave Matthews, Uncle Kracker, Gretchen Wilson, Sammy Hagar, Tim McGraw, Grace Potter, Lionel Richie
Website	Official website

Kenneth Arnold "Kenny" Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 20 of which climbed to the top of the charts.

Over the life of his career, Chesney has been honored with numerous awards from the Academy of Country Music (ACM), Country Music Association (CMA), American Music Awards (AMA), Country Music Television (CMT), Billboard Music Awards (BMA), People's Choice Awards (PCA), and the French Country Music Awards (FCMA).

Chesney recently produced and co-directed a film for ESPN, "The Boys Of Fall". Chesney has received six Academy of Country Music awards(including four consecutive Entertainer of the Year Awards from 2005 to 2008),^[1] as well as six Country Music Association awards. He is one of the most popular touring acts in country music, regularly selling out the venues at which he performs.^[2][3] His 2007 Flip-Flop Summer Tour was the highest-grossing country road trip of the year.^[4]

The Country Music Association honored Chesney with the Entertainer of the Year award in 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Other notable awards include the Academy of Country Music's 1997 New Male Vocalist of the Year, 2002 Top Male Vocalist of the Year, and the Triple Crown Award in 2005. He was awarded his fourth consecutive Entertainer of the Year award from the Academy of Country Music on May 18, 2008.

Early life[link]

Chesney was born on March 26, 1968, in Knoxville, Tennessee at St. Mary's Medical Center and raised in Luttrell, Tennessee, of English and Irish descent. He is the son of David Chesney, a former elementary school teacher, and Karen Chandler, a hair stylist in the Knoxville area. Chesney has one sibling, a younger sister named Jennifer Chandler. In 1986 Chesney graduated from Gibbs High School where he played baseball and football. Chesney received his first guitar "The Terminor" for Christmas and began teaching himself to play.^[5] Chesney studied advertising at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City TN, where he was a member of the ETSU Bluegrass Program and the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. In 1989 Chesney recorded a self-released demo album at Classic Recording Studio in Bristol, Virginia. He sold 1,000 copies while performing at the local clubs in Johnson City and used the money from album sales to help buy a new guitar.^[6] Chesney graduated from East Tennessee State in December 1990 with a degree in advertising.^[6] After graduation he headed to Nashville and performed at several local clubs. He became the resident performer at The Turf, a honky tonk bar in the city's historic district.

Career and awards[link]

[edit] Signing first publishing and record deals

In 1992, the head of writer relations at BMI, Clay Bradley, recommended Chesney to his friend at Opryland Music Group, Troy Tomlinson, by saying: "I met this kid today from East Tennessee. He’s a good singer, a good songwriter, and more than anything, I think you’re going to really like him as a person.”^[7] For the audition for Tomlinson, Chesney performed five songs. Tomlinson's reaction was enthusiastic, later telling HitQuarters:

"First of all I was attracted to the songs, because I thought that he painted great pictures in his lyrics, particularly for someone who had not been around the typical Music Row co-writes. I thought that he sang very well too. But more than anything there was a kind of this ‘I-will-do-it’ look in his eyes - I was really drawn in by the fact that he was so set on being successful in this business."^[7]

Chesney left the audition with a songwriter’s contract. An appearance at a songwriter’s showcase the following year led to a contract with Capricorn Records which had recently started a country division. He released his debut album In My Wildest Dreams in April 1994. When Capricorn closed its country music division in Nashville and moved to Atlanta, Georgia Chesney signed with BNA Records.

[edit] In My Wildest Dreams (1994)

Chesney's first album, In My Wildest Dreams, was released on the independent Capricorn Records label in 1994. The album's lead-off singles, "The Tin Man" and "Whatever It Takes", both reached the lower regions of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. The album sold approximately 10,000 copies before Capricorn Records closed its country music division later that year.^[8]

[edit] All I Need to Know (1995)

After Capricorn's closure, Chesney signed with BNA Records, which released his album All I Need to Know in 1995. The album produced three hit singles. "Fall in Love" and "All I Need to Know" both reached the Top Ten, while "Grandpa Told Me So" peaked at #23.^[8] "The Tin Man" was also included on this album, although it was not released as a single at the time.

[edit] Me and You (1996-1997)

Released in 1996, Chesney's second major-label album was Me and You.^[8] Although its lead-off single peaked just outside the Top 40 on the country charts, the album's title track (which was reprised from All I Need to Know) and the single "When I Close My Eyes" (which was previously recorded by Larry Stewart on his 1993 debut album Down the Road) both peaked at #2 on the Billboard country charts. Me and You was also Chesney's first gold-certified album.^[8] A cover of Mac McAnally's 1990 single "Back Where I Come From" was also included on this album. Although Chesney's version was never released as a single, it has become a regular song played during his concerts. In recognition of his successful year, Chesney was honored with the 1997 Academy of Country Music's New Male Vocalist of the Year award.

[edit] I Will Stand (1997-1998)

I Will Stand, Chesney's third album for BNA, was released in 1997. "She's Got It All" was the album's lead-off single, becoming Chesney's first #1 single, spending three weeks at the top of the Billboard country charts.^[8] The album's second single, "A Chance", peaked just shy of the Top Ten. In 1998, "That's Why I'm Here" went to #2 on Billboard and reached the top of the charts on Radio & Records, giving Chesney his third #1 single overall.

[edit] Everywhere We Go (1999)

Everywhere We Go, released in 1999, was Chesney's fourth album for BNA. The album produced two consecutive #1 singles in "How Forever Feels" and "You Had Me from Hello" (the latter inspired by a line in the movie Jerry Maguire).^[8] The album also produced two more hits, including "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" and "What I Need to Do",^[8] which peaked at #11 and #8 on the country charts, respectively. Everywhere We Go was Chesney's first platinum-selling album.^[8]

[edit] Greatest Hits (2000)

By 2000, Chesney released his Greatest Hits compilation album.^[8] It included four new tracks, as well as updated versions of "Fall in Love", "The Tin Man", and "Back Where I Come From". The new version of "The Tin Man" was one of the disc's three singles, along with two of the new tracks, "I Lost It" and "Don't Happen Twice".^[8]

[edit] No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems (2002-2003)

The album No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems was released in 2002. The lead-off single, "Young", peaked at #2, while the follow-up "The Good Stuff" spent seven weeks at #1, becoming Billboard's #1 country song of the year for 2002. The video for "Young" was honored by CMT with the Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year awards for 2002. In 2003, ACM honored Chesney as Top Male Vocalist of the Year, while "The Good Stuff" received the award for Single Record of the Year. The following year, CMT recognized the video produced for "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" as the Hottest Video of the Year.

[edit] All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan (2003)

In 2003, Chesney recorded All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan. The album's title track peaked at #30 on the country charts from holiday airplay.

[edit] When the Sun Goes Down (2004-2005)

2004 saw the release of Chesney's album When the Sun Goes Down. Its lead-off single, "There Goes My Life", spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard country charts. On April 21, 2004, the accompanying video was honored by CMT with the Male Video of the Year award. The album's title track, "When the Sun Goes Down", a duet with Uncle Kracker, was also a #1 single. The video from the third single from the album, "I Go Back", was honored on April 11, 2005, with the Male Video of the Year by Country Music Television.

When the Sun Goes Down was honored with the 2004 CMA award for Album of the Year, while Chesney was honored as the Entertainer of the Year. He was also presented with the American Music Award's 2004 Artist of the Year award.

Kenny Chesney performing in the East Room of the White House on May 16, 2006, at the official dinner for Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Mrs. Janette Howard

[edit] Be as You Are and The Road and the Radio (2005-2006)

In January 2005, Chesney released the album Be as You Are (Songs from an Old Blue Chair), supporting the album with his Somewhere in the Sun Tour.

In the spring of 2005, Chesney was honored with the prestigious Triple-Crown Award presented by the Academy of Country Music. This award was presented after Chesney's 2004 Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year award was combined with 1997's New Male Vocalist of the Year award and 2003's Top Male Vocalist of the Year award. The following year, on May 23, 2006, Chesney was honored with his second Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.^[9]

Chesney released his second album of the year in November, The Road and the Radio, producing three #1 singles. "Living in Fast Forward", "Summertime", and "Beer in Mexico" all hit #1, while "Who You'd Be Today" and "You Save Me" broke the Top Five.

[edit] Live: Live Those Songs Again (2006)

Live: Live Those Songs Again is Chesney's first live album. Released on September 19, 2006 on BNA Records, the album includes live renditions of 15 songs, including 11 singles. "Live Those Songs", "Never Gonna Feel Like That Again", "On the Coast of Somewhere Beautiful", and "Back Where I Come From" were never released by Chesney as singles, while "Back Where I Come From" had been released as a single from Mac McAnally's 1990 album Simple Life.

Collaborations[link]

Kenny collaborated with one of his personal heroes, Jimmy Buffett, on a remake of Hank Williams' " Hey Good Lookin' (with Clint Black, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait), and a second song,"License To Chill ". Both songs are on Buffett's 2004 album, "License To Chill".

Chesney, along with Tim McGraw, contributed to a version of Tracy Lawrence's single "Find Out Who Your Friends Are", which can be found on Lawrence's album For the Love. The official single version, featuring only Lawrence's vocals, was released in August 2006, but did not reach the Top 40 on the country charts until January 2007, when For the Love was released. After the album's release, the version with McGraw and Chesney began receiving significant airplay, helping to boost the single to #1 on the country charts. The song became Lawrence's first #1 single in 11 years, as well as the second-slowest climbing #1 single in the history of the Billboard music charts.

Chesney also co-wrote Rascal Flatts' 2007 single along with Neil Thrasher and Wendell Mobley, "Take Me There", which served as the lead-off single to their album Still Feels Good.^[10]

Chesney also recorded a duet with Reba McEntire on her #1 2007 album, Reba: Duets. "Every Other Weekend" peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and #104 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. The album has sold 2.1 million copies world-wide and is certified Platinum by the RIAA for sales of over 1 million. "Every Other Weekend" was the final single from the album.

[edit] Super Hits (2007)

On November 7, 2007 Chesney was named the CMA Entertainer of the Year for the third time in four years. The following week, on November 15, 2007, the compilation Super Hits album was released as part of Sony BMG's Super Hits series.

Kenny Chesney in concert at the Madison Square Garden, New York City on August 30, 2007

[edit] Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates (2007-2008)

On September 11, 2007, Chesney released the album Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates. The album represented a move to a more gulf and western sound with a number of "breezy, steel-drum island songs."^[11] Kanye West's album Graduation, as well as 50 Cent's album Curtis, were released on the same day. Kanye West and 50 Cent were in the midst of a competitive sales war, with 50 Cent claiming he would end his solo rap career if West sold more albums than he did (remarks he later retracted as terms with of contract conflicted with the promise). Kenny Chesney, however, decided he would give country music a place in the competition, claiming country artists were just as popular as rap artists. Chesney came in third place in the number of record sales between the three musical artists.

The album's lead-off single, "Never Wanted Nothing More", became Chesney's 12th song to hit the top of the Billboard country charts.^[12] On the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated for the week ending September 15, 2007, Chesney's single "Don't Blink" debuted at #16, setting a new record for the highest debut on that chart since the inception of SoundScan electronic tabulation in 1990.^[13] This record was broken one week later by Garth Brooks' song "More Than a Memory", which debuted at #1 on the same chart, making it the first song ever to do so. The third single from Just Who I Am album, "Shiftwork", a duet with George Strait peaked at #2 on the Billboard country chart. During the week of June 28, 2008, the fourth single, "Better as a Memory", became Chesney's 14th single to hit the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Kenny Chesney's Poets and Pirates tour bus in 2008

Chesney started his Poets and Pirates Tour on April 26, 2008 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. During the introduction of his set, his boot was caught between a hydraulic lift and the lip of the stage surface, crushing his foot and causing a severe hematoma from the ankle down, with most of the damage centering in his toes. It took approximately 30 seconds to pry his foot loose as he squatted down on the stage while the band continued to play an extended introduction of the song. When Chesney finally freed himself, he stood up and kept holding his hand on his knee as he began to sing.

Chesney did not acknowledge the injury during the early part of his performance. However, he was visibly limping and seemed to rest near a drum riser while leaning over and holding his knee during the instrumental breaks of his hit songs. As he came offstage, a doctor from the University of South Carolina cut off Chesney’s cowboy boot and immediately began treating the foot injury. X-rays taken later revealed several crushed bones in his right foot.

The injury did not cause him to postpone any shows, saying "He (the doctor) told me it's going to hurt – though nothing could hurt worse than Saturday, I don't think – and they can give me something to deaden the pain when I get out there. I also have to have a doctor standing by should something give, but I'm going to tape it up, and I'm going to get out there."^[14]

On May 19, 2008, just a day after being honored as the ACM Entertainer of the Year at the 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, Chesney criticized the lack of choice in the producers' awarding the honor based on fan votes. "The entertainer of the year trophy is supposed to represent heart and passion and an amazing amount of sacrifice, commitment and focus," he said. "That's the way Garth [Brooks] won it four times, that's the way I won it, that's the way [George] Strait won it, Reba [McEntire], Alabama all those years. That's what it's supposed to represent."^[15]

[edit] Lucky Old Sun (2008-2009)

Kenny Chesney during a performance in Jacksonville, Florida on August 30, 2008

On July 24, 2008, Chesney announced that he would be releasing a new single from an upcoming album entitled Lucky Old Sun. The song was titled "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven", and for the chart week of August 16, 2008, it debuted at #22 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The album was released on October 14, 2008.^[16] "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven" became a #1 hit. It was followed by a cover of Mac McAnally's 1990 single "Down the Road".

Chesney's 2009 tour was titled the Sun City Carnival Tour and featured both small and large venues in order to keep his ticket prices down.^[17] The tour included a performance at Gillette Stadium again, marking the fifth year in a row that he played at the Foxboro, Massachusetts football field.^[18]

[edit] Greatest Hits II (2010)

On May 19, 2010, Greatest Hits II was released with two new tracks. In February, "Ain't Back Yet" was sent to country music radio stations. The #1 hit "Out Last Night" was the lead single.

[edit] Hemingway's Whiskey (2010-2011)

In July 2010, Chesney released "The Boys of Fall" as the lead-off single from his album Hemingway's Whiskey, which was released in September 2010. The song hit #1 on the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of October 9, 2010, marking Chesney's eighteenth number one hit.

He then appeared at the 44th Annual Country Music Awards on November 10, 2010.^[19]

The second single from Hemingway's Whiskey, "Somewhere with You", was released in November 2010. The song debuted at #35 on the country chart for the week of November 6, 2010. It then hit #1 in January 2011.

Chesney produced and narrated a biographical film, The Color Orange, on his favorite football player growing up, University of Tennessee quarterback and Canadian Football League hall-of-fame Condredge Holloway. The film was produced for ESPN's "Year of the Quarterback" series, and premiered on February 20, 2011.

[edit] Welcome to the Fishbowl (2012)

Chesney is scheduled to release his thirteenth studio album, Welcome to the Fishbowl, on June 19, 2012.^[20] Its lead-off single, a Tim McGraw duet titled "Feel Like a Rock Star", debuted at number 13 on the country charts, making it the second-highest debuting country song since the Billboard charts were first tabulated via Nielsen SoundScan, and the highest-debuting duet on that chart.^[21]

Personal life[link]

Chesney owns a 60' Sea Ray yacht and also has a home in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He spends time in the Caribbean and includes island-themed songs in some of his work, such as those on his 2005 album Be As You Are.

On May 9, 2005, Kenny Chesney married actress Renee Zellweger in a ceremony on the island of St. John. They had met in January at a tsunami relief benefit concert. On September 15 of that same year, after only four months of marriage, they announced their plans for an annulment. Zellweger cited fraud as the reason in the related papers leading to rumors that Chesney might be homosexual. After media scrutiny of her use of the word "fraud", she qualified the use of the term, stating it was "simply legal language and not a reflection of Kenny's character" while Chesney refuted the rumors, affirming that he is straight.^[22] Chesney later suggested the failure of his marriage was due to "panic" from the intense media scrutiny surrounding it.^[23] In an interview by 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper, Chesney commented on the failed marriage. "The only fraud that was committed was me thinking that I knew what it was like…that I really understood what it was like to be married, and I really didn't."^[24] The annulment was finalized in late December 2005.

Kenny Chesney's family still resides in east Tennessee.

Philanthropy[link]

Chesney's most recent charity work includes working with the V Foundation. Founded by the late Jim Valvano, the V Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to saving lives by helping to find a cure for cancer. Valvano, former coach of the North Carolina State Wolfpack Basketball team, died on April 28, 1993 following a year-long battle with cancer.

In 1998, Chesney recorded a limited-edition single titled "Touchdown Tennessee". The single was a tribute to John Ward, a former broadcaster for the University of Tennessee Volunteers' football team; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the John Ward Scholarship Fund.Born in lutrell TN, a very small town.

Tours[link]

Chesney has won the Billboard Touring Award for Top Package Tour four consecutive years between 2005 and 2008.^[25]

• 2001: Greatest Hits Tour
• 2002: No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems Tour (with Montgomery Gentry, Jamie O'Neal and Phil Vassar)
• 2003: Margaritas N' Senorita's Tour (with Deana Carter and Keith Urban)
• 2004: Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love Tour (with Rascal Flatts)
• 2005: Somewhere in the Sun Tour (with Gretchen Wilson, Uncle Kracker, and Pat Green)
• 2006: The Road & The Radio Tour (with Dierks Bentley and various others)
• 2007: Flip-Flop Summer Tour (with Brooks & Dunn, Sugarland, Sara Evans and Pat Green)
• 2008: The Poets & Pirates Tour (with Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan and Sammy Hagar)
• 2009: Sun City Carnival Tour (with Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and Montgomery Gentry)
• 2010: 2010 With a Two Tour
• 2011: Goin' Coastal Tour (with Zac Brown Band, Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington)
• 2012: Brothers of the Sun Tour (with Tim McGraw, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Jake Owen)

Discography[link]

Studio Albums

• 1994: In My Wildest Dreams
• 1995: All I Need to Know
• 1996: Me and You
• 1997: I Will Stand
• 1999: Everywhere We Go
• 2002: No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems
• 2003: All I Want for Christmas Is a Real Good Tan
• 2004: When the Sun Goes Down
• 2005: Be as You Are (Songs from an Old Blue Chair)
• 2005: The Road and the Radio
• 2007: Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates
• 2008: Lucky Old Sun
• 2010: Hemingway's Whiskey
• 2012: Welcome to the Fishbowl^[26]

Compilation albums

• 2000: Greatest Hits
• 2006: Live: Live Those Songs Again
• 2008: Super Hits
• 2009: Greatest Hits II

Awards[link]

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• 1997 ACM New Male Vocalist of the Year
• 2002 CMT Male Video of the Year: Young
• 2002 CMT Video of the Year: Young
• 2003 ACM Single Record of the Year: The Good Stuff
• 2003 ACM Top Male Vocalist of the Year
• 2004 AMA Artist of the Year
• 2004 CMA Entertainer of the Year
• 2004 CMA Album of the Year: When The Sun Goes Down
• 2004 CMT Hottest Video of the Year: No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems
• 2004 CMT Male Video of the Year: There Goes My Life
• 2005 ACM Entertainer of the Year
• 2005 ACM Triple Crown Winner
• 2005 CMT Male Video of the Year: I Go Back
• 2006 CMA Entertainer of the Year
• 2006 ACM Entertainer of the Year
• 2006 CMT Male Video of the Year: Who You Be Today
• 2006 BMA Best Male Country Artist
• 2006 BMA Best Country Artist
• 2007 CMT Male Video of the Year: You Save Me
• 2007 PCA Favorite Male Singer
• 2007 ACM Entertainer of the Year
• 2007 CMA Musical Event of the Year: Find Out Who Your Friends Are
• 2007 CMA Entertainer of the Year
• 2008 ACM Entertainer of the Year
• 2008 ACM Vocal Event of the Year: Find Out Who Your Friends Are
• 2008 FACM Best Duo of the Year: Every Other Weekend
• 2008 CMA Entertainer of the Year
• 2011 CMA Music Video of the Year: You and Tequila
• 2011 CMT Artist of the Year

See also[link]

• List of best-selling music artists

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kenny Chesney

• Official Website
• Official Film Website for Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D
• Kenny Chesney : News : 2010 With A Two Tour 2010 Tickets

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Kelly Chang Rickert (born February 12, 1976) is a distinguished attorney-mediator in the field of family law. She is best recognized in the media for her appearance as a contestant on the 2005 NBC reality program The Law Firm as well as her expert commentary on the Britney Spears custody case.

Biography[link]

Kelly Chang Rickert was born Kelly Yi-Yi Chang in Taiwan to H.H. Chang and Linda Chang. In 1982, at the age of six, she moved to the United States. She later graduated from Montville Township High School in New Jersey in 1994. From 1994 to 1997, Kelly Chang Rickert attended the University of California Los Angeles where she graduated with honors and earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She continued her education at the University of San Diego earning her Juris Doctor in 1999.

Kelly Chang Rickert began her legal career as an associate with Dryden, Margoles, Schimaneck & Wertz in San Francisco. She later worked for Haight, Brown & Bonesteel (2000–2002), and Cooper, White & Cooper (2002–2004). In 2004, Chang Rickert moved to Los Angeles to begin taping on the reality program The Law Firm.^[1][2][3] She was one of twelve contestants on the show developed by Emmy-winning producer David E. Kelley. The show premiered in December 2005. The first two episodes of the programs aired on NBC Universal. The show finished its run on Bravo. Kelly was the first contestant to be “fired”. In 2006, Kelly Chang launched her own law firm in Los Angeles, CA.^[4] The firms practice areas include family law and evictions. Several media outlets have tapped Kelly, including MTV, for her expert opinion on high profile family law cases, including the ongoing Britney Spears custody battle.^[5] .^[6] She was recently selected as the family law expert for the legal website gottrouble.com ^[7] Chang Rickert is admitted to practice law in California, and before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Chang Rickert also serves as professional mediator for family law disputes. She began mediating in 2000 in association with the San Diego Mediation Center. She later served as a pioneer mediator at Squaretrade, where she facilitated mediations for over 200 online disputes arising out of eBay transactions. She has received trained in advanced mediation from mediation experts Forrest Mosten, the "father" of unbundled legal services, and Diana Mercer. In her current practice, she mediates divorces and other family law disputes.

Kelly is a Certified Family Law Specialist,^[8] certified by the Board of Legal Specialization for the California State Bar. She has also been recognized as an outstanding lawyer in 2008, 2009, and 2010 by the magazine Super Lawyers.

Kelly was married to Scott G. Rickert,^[9] on September 8, 2007, at the Little White Wedding Chapel, in Las Vegas, NV. Scott is the founder of Lakeside Learning educational centers.^[10] Kelly is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese, and French.

Media appearances[link]

• Contestant/Showcase Showdown Winner, “The Price is Right” (1994)
• Contestant, NBC, The Law Firm ( 2005)
• Legal Expert, MTV, “Britney Spears' Bad Driving Is A 'Huge Problem' For Custody Case, Experts Say” (2007)
• Legal Expert, MTV, “Britney Spears, Legally Speaking: Top Lawyers Say She Can Get Kids Back, If She Follows Advice” (2007)
• Legal Expert, KNBC News, featurette “The Legal Grind” ^[11]
• Legal Expert, VideoJug ^[12]
• Legal Expert, TV Guide Network, Hollywood 411 ^[13]
• Legal Expert, American Marriage Movie^[14]

Footnotes[link]

Kris Humphries

Humphries in January 2011.
No. 43 – Brooklyn Nets
Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1985-02-06) February 6, 1985 (age 27) Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nationality	American
High school	Hopkins
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College	Minnesota (2003–2004)
NBA Draft	2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall
Selected by the Utah Jazz
Pro career	2004–present
Career history
2004–2006	Utah Jazz
2006–2009	Toronto Raptors
2009–2010	Dallas Mavericks
2010–present	New Jersey / Brooklyn Nets

Kris Nathan Humphries^[1] (born February 6, 1985) is an American professional basketball player who plays with the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.

Early life[link]

Humphries was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Debra Humphries and William Humphries, a former football player for the University of Minnesota.^[2] He is of mixed ethnicity – his father is half Caucasian and half African-American while his mother is Caucasian.^[3] Humphries has two older sisters, Krystal and Kaela. His first success in sports came in competitive swimming, where he was the top 10 year old in the nation in six events, second only to a young Michael Phelps in the remaining events. Kris Humphries still holds the US national record for the 50M and 100M freestyle for 10 and under boys.^[4] At age 12 he gave up swimming to pursue a promising career in basketball.

Humphries attended Hopkins High School, where he enjoyed an impressive basketball career. In 2002 he led the team to a 25–2 record and its first Minnesota state championship in 49 years.^[2] He was named a 2003 McDonald's All-American and named Second Team All-USA by USA Today.^[5] He was also named to the Super 25 Basketball Team by USA Today, named Minnesota Mr. Basketball, and state player of the year by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and College Basketball News.^[5] He was one of 10 finalists for the 2003 Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, averaging a double double in his final three seasons, averaging 25.7 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists a game as a senior.^[5]

Coming out of high school, Humphries accepted a scholarship offer to Duke University, but later reconsidered and attended the University of Minnesota. At Minnesota, Humphries was named 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and named to the All-Big Ten First Team by the media and coaches. He was named Honorable Mention All-America by the Associated Press and by Rivals.com. He was the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding in the same season. He scored in double figures in all 29 games, with 16 point/rebound double-doubles on the season for Minnesota. He averaged 21.7 points and 10.1 rebounds (both tops in the Big Ten), while shooting .444 percent from the field and .742 from the line. On February 18, 2004 he set a school record with 36 points in a game against Indiana. He also set a school record for most points by a freshman for a season with 629 and was the first Big Ten freshman to be named conference Player of the Week in two of the first three weeks of the season.

Although Humphries was personally successful at Minnesota, the team struggled. The Gophers finished 12–18, with a 3–13 record in the Big Ten during Humphries' lone season, tying Penn State for the worst record in the conference.^[6] Critics accused Humphries of playing selfishly, preferring to inflate his statistics and NBA draft stock rather than help the team win games.^[7] The team had a .500 record before his arrival and finished with a 10–6 conference record in the season after he left.

NBA career[link]

Humphries was drafted by the Utah Jazz in 2004 as the 14th pick.^[8] He spent two seasons with the Jazz, averaging 3.6 ppg and 2.7 rpg in 11.6 minutes per game.^[9] On June 8, 2006, Humphries was traded along with Robert Whaley to the Raptors in exchange for Rafael Araújo.^[10] In the 2006–07 season, after a slow start in which he did not receive many minutes from Raptors coach Sam Mitchell, Humphries proved to be a valuable rebounder and energy player and contributed to the Raptors capturing their first ever division title.^[11] On March 28, 2007, he grabbed seven offensive rebounds in 27 minutes against the Miami Heat, both a game-high^[12] and a career-high.^[13] He followed up this performance with nine offensive and 18 total rebounds in a win against the Detroit Pistons on April 13, 2007, again both game and career-highs.^[14][15] Humphries concluded his inaugural season with the Raptors with a career-high 3.1 rpg and .470 field goal percentage, as well as 3.8 ppg.^[9]

Humphries played with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2009–10 season.

On July 9, 2009, Humphries, Shawn Marion and Nathan Jawai were traded to the Dallas Mavericks as a part of the four-team deal among Raptors, Mavericks, Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies.^[16] On January 11, 2010 the Mavericks traded Humphries along with G/F Shawne Williams to the New Jersey Nets in order to re-acquire Eduardo Nájera.^[17] On January 27, 2010, Humphries scored a career-high 25 points against the Los Angeles Clippers. He previously recorded career highs of 15 and 21 points respectively as a New Jersey Net.^{[citation needed]} The 2011 season was a breakout season for Humphries as he averaged a double-double in points and rebounds. On December 21, 2011, Humphries signed one-year, $8 million contract with the New Jersey Nets.^[18]

Personal life[link]

Humphries married reality TV personality Kim Kardashian on August 20, 2011.^[19] On October 31, 2011, it was announced that Kardashian filed for divorce from Humphries after 72 days of marriage.^[20][21] On December 1, 2011, Humphries filed his response to Kardashian's petition, requesting an annulment on the grounds of fraud or a decree of legal separation rather than Kardashian's requested divorce.^[22]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

International career[link]

Humphries was on the 2002 U.S. Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament Team, alongside future Raptors' teammate Chris Bosh.^[5] The team finished with a 4–1 record and the bronze medal and qualified for a berth in the 2003 FIBA Junior World Championship.^[2] Humphries averaged 9.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg in five games.^[2]

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Kris Humphries at Basketball-Reference.com