According to the documents filed on Friday, Artem Chigvintsev has requested spousal support from his estranged wife, Nikki Garcia. In addition, he has also asked Garcia to pay for his attorney and the adjacent legal fees. The documents also state that the Dancing With the Stars pro dancer has requested joint legal and physical custody of their son Matteo who is 4 years old.

Legal battle between Chigvinstev and Garcia

Garcia filed for divorce on Friday two weeks after Chigvinstev was arrested with charges of domestic violence in California. The documents state the reason for divorce as irreconcilable differences and the date of separation was August 29 which was the same day the incident occurred. The retired WWE star also requested sole legal and physical custody of their 4-year-old son with visitation rights for her estranged husband when she filed for divorce.

Chigvinstev was arrested at their Napa Valley home last month after he placed a distressed call asking for medical assistance at his residence. He later called to cancel the request but the officers showed up at their house. Napa County’s Sheriff’s Office’s public information officer revealed to Page six, “For domestic violence, if someone picks up the phone and says, ‘You don’t have to come after all,’ we’re still going to go for a welfare check. We’re not just going to stop what we’re doing”. 

The police examined the scene and then booked the pro dancer into Napa County Jail with the charge of domestic violence. According to the California penal code 273.5(a), it is illegal to cause "injury resulting in a traumatic condition" to a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, or anyone with whom the assailant has had a romantic relationship at any time. He was released after a few hours on bail which cost him $25,000.

Chigvinstev and Garcia’s ‘volatile’ marriage

The domestic violence occurred soon after the couple celebrated their second anniversary in August. In a podcast episode of Nikki & Brie Show on August 28, Nikki expressed she was looking forward to spending time with her husband at a span and communicating about their marriage. She explained, “Where are we at, what are you loving, what are you not loving? We had such a great conversation and made not goals for the next years of marriage but [figuring out] what are some things we can add into our marriage or are looking forward to in our marriage?”

Sources close to the former couple revealed to TMZ that the recent events are not surprising given their marriage was always “volatile.” The two got married in August 2022 and welcomed their son in August 2020.

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