Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s divorce saga has taken a surprising turn as it's been revealed that the presiding judge has a close personal connection to both Lopez's ex-fiancé, Alex Rodriguez, and Affleck himself. While the judge has publicly stated that there is no conflict of interest, one can’t overlook the fact that his son-in-law is both Affleck and A-Rod’s agent. This comes after reports that the Bennifer divorce is expected to be very messy and extremely complicated due to the lack of a prenup.

Connection between Jennifer Lopez's divorce judge and Affleck

Recently obtained legal documents reveal that Judge Bradley S. Phillips has disclosed an unexpected connection to the celebrities involved in the ongoing divorce proceedings. TMZ has learned that the presiding judge has deep family ties to both parties. It turns out that Phillips' son-in-law, Strand Conover, is a partner and agent at WME, the talent agency that represents both Affleck and Lopez's former fiancé, Alex Rodriguez.

Ben Affleck’s production partner, Matt Damon, may also become entangled in the legal dispute due to the absence of a prenuptial agreement. The company, founded in November 2022, four months after Ben and Jennifer’s marriage, could be considered community property, potentially complicating the division of assets.

Conover’s connection to Alex Rodriguez

When news of Bennifer’s divorce broke, Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez’s ex-fiancé, posted a cryptic message online, with everyone suspecting the same thing. A quote shared on Instagram page and attributed to the former MLB star read, “You either go one way or the other; you might as well be the one deciding the direction.”

According to an entertainment outlet, Conover not only knows Lopez through Affleck but also first met her while she was dating and later engaged to A-Rod. Judge Phillips mentioned that his son-in-law works for A-Rod's team as their agent for business deals at WME, pointing out that Conover first got to know Lopez through work with the ex-fiance.

‘Not a conflict of interest’ in Bennifer’s divorce

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s divorce is set to be one of Hollywood’s most high-profile cases. Judge Phillips, who has acknowledged a personal connection to the case, asserted that this does not present a conflict of interest, according to new court documents obtained by TMZ.

The judge made it clear that he hasn't talked about the case with his son-in-law, who's on Ben Affleck legal team, and he definitely won't do it as the case goes on. He also said he thinks his son-in-law's link to Bennifer won't mess with his fairness and neutrality.

Read Also: Squid Game actor Anupam Tripathi praises Song Joong-ki and Kim Seon-ho: ‘You don’t feel like you are with…’