Fantasia's Christmas gift – Judge rules she was telling the truth about Antwaun - National celebrity infidelity

Legally, it looks like Fantasia Barrino is finally getting a break.

Based on a recent ruling by the judge that Fantasia’s married lover, Antwaun Cook was already separated from his wife when he and Fantasia began dating, it appears that Fantasia was telling the truth all along.

The judge ruled that Antwaun and Paula’s official separation datewas September 14, 2009 -- not June 2010, as Paula’s court documents claimed.

View slideshow: Fantasia - Glamour photos, pictures

This is good news for Fantasia, because with an alienation of affection lawsuit from Antwaun’s wife hanging over her head, Fantasia’s financial well-being was at stake. See Fantasia’s Back with Antwaun – But She Could Still Lose Him and Everything Else She Owns

The welcome news came just in time for Fantasia to enjoy the Christmas holidays.

Paula Cook’s Accusations Drove Fantasia to Attempt Suicide

In August, Paula Cook filed for divorce, naming Fantasia Barrino, in the court documents as the person who broke up her marriage, and caused the divorce.

Antwaun’s recent break-up with Fantasia, and the accusations by Antwaun’s wife, led to Fantasia’s attempt to commit suicide with aspirin and sleeping pills.

Shortly afterward, Fantasia’s rep issued the following statement to Access Hollywood on her behalf

Fantasia believed Mr. Cook when he told her he was not happy in his marriage and his heart was not in it.

She believed him when he told her he and Mrs. Cook separated in the late summer of 2009.

She believed Mr. Cook when he told her he lived elsewhere. He even took her there.

One of Mr. Cook’s most redeeming qualities was his complete devotion to his children.

Fantasia fell in love with Mr. Cook and believed that he loved her.”

Fantasia’s Mediation Attempts with Paula Cook Failed

November 1, in a effort to settle matters privately, and head off the alienation of affection suit by Antwaun’s estranged wife, Fantasia agreed to mediation. See Suing Your Husband’s Mistress for Alienation of Affection and Other Legal Forms of Revenge

Fantasia was even prepared to offer Paula Cook $100,000 to keep details of her affair with Antwaun out of the public eye. See Suing the Mistress Can Sometimes Be a Good Strategic Move

But at the end of the 12-hour mediation session, nothing was resolved.

Paula Cook wanted Fantasia to admit that she knew Paula and Antwaun were married and still together, when she started dating him. But Fantasia insists that she didn’t know. See Signs Your Date May Be a Married Man Cheating on His Wife

Unwilling to take Fantasia’s word for it, and settle for $100,000 Antwaun’s wife is moved forward with an alienation of affection lawsuit, that could have ended up costing Fantasia everything she owns. See Fantasia’s Back with Antwaun – But She Could Still Lose Him and Everything Else She Owns

North Carolina is one of the few states that still have alienation of affection laws on their books, which allow a scorned wife to sue her husband’s mistress for ruining their marriage. See Which States Allow a Wife To Sue a Husband’s Mistress and What Does This Involve?

In the subsequent court proceeding, on November 22, Fantasia was forced to reluctantly testify that she’d been pregnant with Antwaun’s baby, which she aborted shortly before her suicide attempt. See What You Need to Know about Your Husband’s Mistress and Why

Now, based on the judge’s ruling on Paula and Antwaun’s separation date, it appears that Fantasia was telling the truth, all along. That’s why Fantasia refused to back down.

This adds fuel to the rumor that from the very beginning of Antwaun’s affair with Fantasia, Paula Cook had intentions of cashing in big time. See Betrayed Wife Sues Husband’s Mistress for $9 Million and Wins – You Can Too and Fantasia Barrino – Was She Set Up? Did Antwaun Cook Use Her? Is it a Publicity Ploy?

Some people have speculated that the whole on again-off again Fantasia Barrino – Antwaun Cook affair was a set up for Paula Cook’s alienation of affection suit. See Fantasia Could be Sued by Her Boyfriend’s Wife Under the “Husband-Stealing” Law

The Best Christmas Gift Fantasia Could Get

The judge’s ruling on Antwaun’s official separation date, was probably the best Christmas gift Fantasia could receive.

Many people thought Fantasia was lying about what she did or didn’t know about Antwaun Cook’s marriage, when her relationship with him began.

Though it’s not clear if the judges ruling will effectively squash Paula’s Cook’s alienation of affection lawsuit against Fantasia, the chances look good.

Especially since lawsuits of this type against a cheating husband’s mistress hinge on willful, malicious, or intentional conduct on her part. See Which States Allow a Wife To Sue a Husband’s Mistress and What Does This Involve?

However, since the judge ruled that Antwan was separated from his wife in September 2009, at the time he told Fantasia he was, not June 2010 as Paula Cook claimed, Fantasia is in the clear.

That is good news for Fantasia because she was in danger of losing everything she worked so hard to gain. See Another Betrayed Wife Sues Her Husband’s Mistress for BIG BUCKS and Wins

Although there is another closely related type of lawsuit called “criminal conversation” that might still apply, hopefully the matter will end here, and Fantasia can move on with her life.

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*** © copyright 2010 Ruth Houston All Rights Reserved.

Ruth Houston is a New York-based infidelity expert who is frequently called on by the media to comment on high profile infidelity and popular infidelity issues in the news. She is the founder of www.InfidelityAdvice.com , the author of Is He Cheating on You? - 829 Telltale Signs, and publishes the Infidelity News and Views blog. To interview infidelity expert Ruth Houston, or have her speak at your next event, call 718 592-6029 or e-mail InfidelityExpert@gmail.com

For more information about Fantasia, dealing with his mistress, or about suing a mistress like Antwaun's wife, Paula Cook is trying to do, see the articles below:

Fantasia’s Back with Antwaun – But She Could Still Lose Him and Everything Else She Owns

Fantasia Could be Sued by Her Boyfriend’s Wife Under the “Husband-Stealing” Law

Fantasia Barrino – Was She Set Up? Did Antwaun Cook Use Her? Is it a Publicity Ploy?

Signs Your Date May Be a Married Man Cheating on His Wife

Betrayed Wife Sues Husband’s Mistress for $9 Million and Wins – You Can Too

Another Betrayed Wife Sues Her Husband’s Mistress for BIG BUCKS and Wins

Which States Allow a Wife To Sue a Husband’s Mistress and What Does This Involve?

Suing Your Husband’s Mistress for Alienation of Affection and Other Legal Forms of Revenge

How to Sue Your Husband’s Mistress – Basic Things You Need to Know

Suing the Mistress Can Sometimes be a Good Strategic Move

Will He Leave You for Her?

What You Need to Know about Your Husband’s Mistress and Why