MUNFORD

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Ben

J. Miller, the chief judge of the Griffin

Judicial Circuit, doesn't like for divorce cases

to linger.

Particularly

when they're uncontested. Which explains why he

allowed the final hearing of the Holyfield v.

Holyfield divorce to be held Friday morning,

although it wasn't officially on the court's

calendar for the day.

Former

heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield was

not in court to hear his former wife, Janice

Marie Itson Holyfield, testify. She told the

court that their marriage was irretrievably

broken, and after a few moments on the stand

Judge Miller approved the divorce and the ex-Mrs.

Holyfield strode out of the courtroom wearing a

smile.

The

couple has one child together, a 21-month-old.

The terms of the custody agreement were not

mentioned during the brief hearing.

The

terms of the divorce were undisclosed, as both

parties agreed to have the final divorce

agreement held by their attorneys instead of

filed with the court. If either party breaches

the contract, the agreement calls for the 19-page

document to be filed in court.

The

agreement between the two parties was reached

June 2, according to the final judgment and

decree.

Judge

Miller said the attorneys contacted him Wednesday

to ask the hearing be held Friday morning. Judge

Miller also agreed to take on another unscheduled

divorce, which was also uncontested, he said.

Speeding

up uncontested divorce cases has been one of

Miller's objectives since he took over as chief

judge in the circuit.

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