Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Finalize Divorce Three Years After Separation
By Ale Russian
Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have finalized their divorce three years after separating, PEOPLE confirms.
The two met at Garner’s house with lawyers and a private judge on Thursday, a day after news broke that Garner had requested the private judge to handle the final details of the divorce, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.
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The estranged couple announced their separation in June 2015 after 10 years of marriage and three children together: Violet, 12, Seraphina, 9, and Samuel, 6. Affleck and Garner began dating in 2004 and married in June 2005 before simultaneously filing for divorce in April 2017.
The news of the divorce comes a day after Affleck addressed his recent rehab stay, where he was treated for 40 days. Affleck entered rehab on Aug. 22 to address his alcohol addiction, PEOPLE previously confirmed. Garner was seen driving him to the treatment center.
“The support I have received from my family, colleagues and fans means more to me than I can say. It’s given me the strength and support to speak about my illness with others,” Affleck wrote in the statement, posted to his Instagram. “Battling any addiction is a lifelong and difficult struggle. Because of that, one is never really in or out of treatment. It is full-time commitment. I am fighting for myself and my family.”
RELATED: Ben Affleck Seen at Church with Jennifer Garner and Kids as He ‘Continues Rehab Treatment’
Garner and Affleck have continued to spend time as a family and co-parent after they officially filed for divorce almost two years after announcing their separation in 2015. They recently took the kids to see Hello, Dolly! on Broadway in mid July, starring family friend Victor Garber, and spent Easter together in Hawaii where Affleck was filming.
On Sunday, the two stepped out at church together with their children after Affleck completed 30 days in rehab. Three days later, Affleck and Garner stepped out with the kids again for a school event on Wednesday.
“He went to church on Sunday with his family,” a source told PEOPLE. The source added Affleck was smiling during the outing because the 30-day milestone means “he has reason to celebrate.”
Garner recently opened up about how the intense tabloid scrutiny the couple faced during their marriage took a big toll on her. Explaining how for a decade there would be up to five or six cars trying to get the scoop on what was going on between them, Garner said on CBS Sunday Morning, “Looking back on that, I really feel the stress of it.”
“I really — I could cry talking about it,” she continued.
“What I think I’ve learned is that the scrutiny in your private life puts a pressure to make something happen,” she explained. “You feel a pressure to hurry up and get married, ‘cause you think that’ll end the — ‘Are they engaged? Are they not?’ And that’s true in the reverse, as well. If you are — if you know, if there is any inkling of trouble, or if the tabloids decide there’s trouble, it can create trouble.”
