Joey Lawrence Accused of Cheating on Wife Samantha Cope With Actress Melina Alves in Divorce Docs
Joey Lawrence's divorce just got complicated.
The Blossom alum is accused of cheating on estranged wife Samantha Cope with his Socked in for Christmas Melina Alves, according to court documents obtained by E! News Aug. 22.
An attorney for Alves' ex Edward Rider alleged in divorce papers filed in New Jersey last month that Lawrence and the actress "committed adultery" in California, as well as "various other times and places."
E! News has reached out to Lawrence, Cope and Alves' reps for comment but hasn't heard back. Rider's attorney had no comment when reached about the allegations.
News of Lawrence's alleged infidelity comes shortly after Cope—who he married at a 2022 California wedding—filed for divorce in Los Angeles to end their two-year marriage.
In her filing, obtained by E! News Aug. 21, the Insecure actress listed June 7 as the couple's date of separation and cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their breakup.
While she did not request spousal support, she did ask the court to grant her full physical custody of her and Lawrence's 19-month-old daughter Dylan.
"Samantha will have 100% physical custody of Dylan with visitation to Joe at Samantha's discretion," her proposed parenting plan read. "Once Dylan is 3 or older, Joe will have the option to take her for 2 nights in her home location if he is not working and can facilitate her visiting."
Cope also asked Lawrence—her costar in the 2021 Lifetime thriller My Husband's Secret Brother—to be barred from taking Dylan for "long, extended periods of time until she is old enough to specifically ask for the visitation time and all parties agree and able to facilitate."
"He must be available for the full time she is visiting while she is a minor," her filing continued, adding that their daughter "is not to be in the presence of any non-family members while with Joe unless agreed upon by Samantha."
Lawrence's marriage to Cope is his third. He was previously married to Michelle Vella and Chadie Yawn-Nelson, with whom he shares daughters Charleston, 18, and Liberty, 14.
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