Kanye West has fired his attorney ahead of his and Kim Kardashian’s divorce hearing.
Divorce attorney Chris Melcher confirmed to PEOPLE that he won’t be representing the rapper, and that Samantha Spector will be taking over from him.
Kim filed for bifurcation in December, in which she requested to be declared legally single, and a hearing is scheduled to take place today.
In legal documents obtained by the PA news agency, the Keeping Up With the Kardashian star stated: “I submit this declaration in support of my request for an order bifurcating and terminating the status of my marriage to respondent, Kanye West.”
“Irreconcilable differences have existed and continue to exist between (Kanye) and me, which have caused our marriage to irretrievably break down. No counseling or reconciliation effort will be of any value at this time.”
“There will be no prejudice to (Kanye) if our marriage is immediately dissolved, especially given the fact that throughout our marriage, we adhered to the terms of our premarital agreement and maintained the separate property character of our assets.”
“I have been attempting to settle our dissolution with (Kanye) since I filed for divorce in February 2021. I have requested several times that (Kanye) agree to bifurcate and terminate our marital status. (Kanye) has not responded to my request.”
“(Kanye) and I both deserve the opportunity to build new lives. Therefore, I am asking that my request to bifurcate and terminate our marital status be granted.”
In response to Kim’s petition in the Superior Court of California on Wednesday, the rapper’s legal team said he would only agree to the plan if certain conditions were put in place.
The court documents state: “Kim’s motion should be denied without prejudice so that Kim can refile it with the mandatory corrections and requested conditions set forth in the proposed judgment.”
“Alternatively, a hearing regarding these additional conditions should be set.”
Kanye’s response lays out several “conditions” he wants to be met – including a request to establish a “right of reimbursement”, which will see either party “reimbursed monies owed” in the event one of them died.
The 44-year-old also wants his estranged wife to forfeit her marital privilege until a final agreement has been made on their property and custody of their four children.
The absence of marital privilege means all of their communication will be part of the court record.
The documents state: “If status is terminated now without his condition, then a barrier to obtaining evidence regarding parenting and custody will arise if Kim remarries before the case is concluded.”
Kanye has also asked that “no assets are transferred out of trusts they created”.
Kim, who is now dating SNL comedian Pete Davidson, officially filed for divorce from Kanye on February 19, 2021, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
The former couple tied the knot back in 2014, and share four kids together – North, 8, Saint, 5, Chicago, 3, and Psalm, 2.
Kanye has been dating a Kim Kardashian look-alike called Chaney Jones in recent weeks.
