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Best-selling author Carolyn Jessop will receive support to care for her disabled son for the rest of his life in a settlement reached Tuesday with her former husband, who oversees a polygamous sect's enclave in Texas.
Merril Jessop, 73, agreed to pay $2,350 monthly to his former spiritual wife to support the seven children in her care, with a dollar-for-dollar credit for his Social Security benefit that is currently diverted to her.
The support will continue to be paid for 10-year-old Harrison's special-needs care after the other children turn 18.
Merril Jessop also agreed to pay an undisclosed sum in retroactive support, with the same credit for Social Security payments received by Carolyn Jessop.
The settlement came after several days of testimony before 51st District Judge Barbara Walther of San Angelo, Texas. The hearing was held in Texas because Merril Jessop is currently a resident of that state.
The couple were spiritually married in 1986 in Utah when Carolyn was 18 and Merril was 50. She was his fourth wife.
They had eight children together before Carolyn Jessop left the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in April 2003. Their oldest daughter Betty, now 20, returned to the sect after graduating from high school and lives in Texas with her father, who is the bishop at the Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado.
The rest remain with Carolyn Jessop, who chronicled her marriage in the
As part of the agreement, Carolyn Jessop agreed to provide health insurance for the children. She initially had asked that her former husband be required to provide health insurance and pay for uninsured medical expenses, private school expenses, counseling, day care and after-school expenses. She also wanted Merril Jessop to take out a life insurance policy benefiting her children and pay her attorney's fees.
As part of the agreement, Texas attorney Natalie Malonis, who represented Carolyn Jessop, withdrew various exhibits she planned to use during the child support trial.
