Zac Brown has discovered himself knee deep in a public divorce.

The nation singer and his estranged spouse, Kelly Yazdi, introduced in December 2023 that they have been separating after 4 months of marriage.

“We’re within the technique of divorce. Our mutual respect for each other stays,” the pair shared in a press release to TMZ. “We want one another the most effective and can at all times respect our time collectively. As we navigate this private matter, we merely request privateness throughout this time.”

Whereas the pair placed on a united entrance on the time of their breakup, issues started to take a dramatic flip with Brown, 45, submitting a lawsuit in opposition to Yazdi, 33, in Might 2024. She later known as it a “meritless criticism.”

As their cut up continues to play out within the public eye, Us Weekly is breaking down every part that you must know under:

How Did Zac and Kelly’s Love Story Start? 

Whereas it’s unclear when the non-public pair began relationship, Yazdi made a quick look in a Zac Brown Model social media put up when it was time to rejoice Brown’s birthday in July 2022.

Based on Individuals, Brown proposed to Yazdi throughout a 2022 journey to Hawaii. They loved a year-long engagement earlier than marrying at a non-public ceremony in Georgia in August 2023.

Why Did Zac File a Momentary Restraining Order Towards Kelly?

On Might 17, 2024, Brown filed a lawsuit in opposition to his estranged spouse, demanding she take down an Instagram put up. Based on the Zac Brown Band frontman, Yazdi’s put up allegedly broke a confidentiality settlement that she signed throughout their relationship. In court docket paperwork obtained by NBC Information, Brown is looking for an emergency momentary restraining order that will compel her to take down the social media put up.

“After a lot deliberation, I took the steps essential to implement an settlement between us to take care of private and enterprise affairs in confidence and to guard my household from on-line harassment and hypothesis,” Brown instructed Us Weekly in a press release. “My solely hope is for us to maintain non-public issues non-public and to maneuver ahead with the mutual respect we had agreed to point out each other after we parted methods.”

How Did Kelly Reply to the Lawsuit?

Yazdi reacted to Brown’s lawsuit with a prolonged social media message. “Nobody — not even Zac Brown with all of his cash, energy, movie star, and attorneys might silence my proper to freely categorical myself by means of artwork or, though I’ve thus far declined to take action publicly, to discuss the circumstances of our pending divorce,” she wrote by way of Instagram on Might 20, 2024. “I intend to reply swiftly and robustly to his meritless criticism that [the] publication of two poems on my private social media account divulged any ‘confidential info’ about his enterprise, a lot much less authorizes a court docket to enjoin me from talking about issues in my private life that don’t have anything to do with my temporary former work for the Zac Brown Collective, Inc.”

Confidentiality Dispute

Brown accused Yazdi of stealing “confidential info” belonging to the Zac Brown Collective (ZBC), based on court docket paperwork obtained by Us. Within the July submitting, the musician alleged that Yazdi knew “full properly that she would quickly be” leaving the enterprise when she reportedly obtained the knowledge.

His authorized group claimed that Yazdi took the alleged motion “in an obvious try to achieve leverage” over Brown of their divorce proceedings. “Ms. Yazdi stole paperwork regarding a yet-to-be-revealed tune Mr. Brown was making ready with one other artist,” the docs claimed. “She stole paperwork regarding Mr. Brown’s and ZBC’s financials, enterprise valuations and different extremely delicate info she had no proper to take and no legit cause for possessing.”

Brown is looking for “injunctive aid and damages arising” from Yazdi for “blatant violations of the confidentiality obligations” she allegedly owed him as a one-time worker of ZBC. (Yazdi was employed by ZBC from August 2022 to February 2024.)

Yazdi claimed in a submitting of her personal that not all facets of her worker settlement with Brown have been legitimate and binding.

The Manner They Cut up

Yazdi spoke out by way of Instagram on August 8 about her and Brown’s ongoing divorce, claiming that she was quiet on social media out of “concern that something I publish will end in extra authorized claims being introduced in opposition to me to suppress my freedom of speech.”

She claimed that Brown requested for a divorce by way of Zoom, which she stated was a shock. A supply solely instructed Us, “Kelly’s assertion that Zac instructed her unexpectedly over Zoom that he needed a divorce is inaccurate.” The insider claimed, “Zac instructed her he needed a divorce in individual the night time earlier than Thanksgiving at his residence in Georgia.”

A second supply near Brown’s household instructed Us that issues took one other flip in January 2024. The insider claimed that Yazdi “confirmed up unannounced” at Brown’s home in Georgia days after he filed for divorce. Yazdi allegedly evaded safety cameras “by parking her automobile out of sight and venturing by means of the woods.”

A second supply claimed that Yazdi “nonetheless holds possession of [Brown’s] automobile and refuses to return it.”

Yazdi’s attorneys instructed Us in an August assertion that it’s “logical” to deduce that the allegations about their consumer’s alleged January actions “come from inside [Brown’s] camp.” Yazdi’s attorneys alleged that the claims are “a designed PR effort launched as quickly as Kelly broke her silence” so as to “intimidate her.”

The Music Video

Yazdi alleged that quickly after their cut up, Brown used footage from their 2023 nuptials for his “Stunning Drug (feat. Avicii) — Remix” music video with out permission. Yazdi stated that she was “changed within the video with a look-alike mannequin” who represented her in a “false” gentle by performing out taking medicine and consuming alcohol.

In terms of the mannequin used within the music video, a supply near the previous couple instructed Us that the footage was shot in 2018, earlier than Brown even met Yazdi.

Kelly Speaks Out As soon as Once more

Yazdi gave followers an “replace” by way of social media on August 12, telling her followers she needed to “defend myself” after being hassled for her earlier August put up.

“In my video assertion I launched on August eighth, I started with expressing my concern that there can be retaliation as soon as I spoke publicly. And I used to be proper,” she stated. “Sadly, however predictably, lower than 24 hours later (on August ninth) I used to be requested to touch upon an article through which unnamed ‘sources’ from Zac Brown ’s camp attacked my character. This, in fact, occurred as quickly as I broke my silence.”

Yazdi continued, “My attorneys launched a press release that very same day calling this effort precisely what it’s — a public smear marketing campaign to harm and silence me, and an effort to broadcast a false narrative to intimidate me and affect public opinion.”

She defined that after Brown’s camp allegedly tried to silence her, his good friend Jake Nodar slammed her on-line in a “disturbing video.” Nodar shared an Instagram video August 9, claiming that “Kelly would spend hundreds a month” and when she needed to “fly industrial” she was “not comfortable.”

He additionally commented on her physique, her wardrobe and stated she was “controlling” and “imply” all through her marriage to Brown.

“Jake’s assertion is sexist, defamatory, physique shaming, misogynistic, and paying homage to an adolescent smearing his good friend’s ex,” Yazdi stated in response. “It’s curious why Jake is commenting on non-public and authorized issues that don’t contain him — maybe it’s a calculated effort to achieve fame and experience the coattails of his movie star good friend. However no matter his motive, it’s disturbing for a grown man to have interaction in infantile and false commentary.”

She concluded by saying she’s going to “not cease” talking her fact, reminding her followers that “the reality is within the proof.”

Was Zac Beforehand Married?

Earlier than beginning a relationship with Yazdi, Brown was married to first spouse Shelly Brown for 12 years. The couple — who share 5 kids — confirmed their 2018 cut up in a press release to Us Weekly.

“We really feel blessed to be on such an unbelievable journey in life and typically the journey begins to guide in several instructions. It’s with deep love and respect that we announce we’re separating as a pair,” the exes shared on the time. “We’ve got led a whirlwind life collectively rising into a stupendous household with 5 superb kids and whereas life can be rearranging a bit, our love and dedication to our household will at all times be there. This was a troublesome resolution, however we’ve accomplished loads of powerful issues collectively and that is our subsequent enterprise — love, mutual respect, and look after one another are what we’re shifting ahead with.”

The assertion concluded, “Household is available in all totally different kinds. We wish to ask that reasonably than commenting or spending any vitality in direction of this, that you simply take this second to ship like to your loved ones, in honor of ours.”