A judge dismissed Richard Williams’ divorce filing, leaving the 81-year-old father of Venus and Serena still married to former stripper Lakeisha

A Florida judge has reportedly dismissed the divorce case between Serena and Venus Williams’ father, Richard Williams, and his third wife, Lakeisha Graham Williams.

Although previous health complications made it difficult for him to attend hearings and testify, the court now finds him competent to take part in such proceedings, the US Sun newspaper reported this week. Now, one member of the family says that when the tennis legend often known as “King Richard” failed to appear in court recently, Judge James Martz dismissed his case.

The 81-year-old’s son, Chavoit LeSane, told The Sun that his father was too afraid to appear before a judge and had turn out to be wary of the lengthy process of ending his marriage.

“Because of these strokes and so on, he is simply afraid of court procedures” – brother of two of the best tennis players in history he said to the sun. “He was supposed to appear in court but he didn’t show up. I’m not sure of the exact date, but we had to turn it down.”

“It wasn’t just court,” LeSane added. “He was supposed to appear for testimony. I had to talk to a lawyer and say, “He’s not going to make it.” It was scary.”

“He didn’t realize he had to go to court. He said, “Give me a week to prepare for it.” But the lawyer couldn’t get a week. And he hates being pressured. The last attorney determined he was unfit to stand trial, and that was seven years ago,” LeSane explained.

Lakeisha Williams’ attorney had a distinct explanation for the dismissal, making the same point:

“On April 30, 2024, Richard Williams’ attorney prepared an Agreed Motion and Order Dismissing the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.

“All parties – Richard Williams and Lakeshia Williams – and their attorneys executed an Agreed Motion to Dismiss, and the judge entered and executed an Agreed Order dismissing the dissolution of marriage proceedings pending in Palm Beach County.”

In 2010, Williams married Lakeisha Graham, now 45, a food market owner. He was 69 years old then. Seven years later, he filed for divorce in May 2017. Since then, their separation has turn out to be very public and messy, rocked by accusations resembling Lakeisha forging Williams’ signature on a notarial deed and transferring their shared Palm Beach home solely into her name.

She was also accused of stealing his Social Security checks and told the judge that Williams’ daughter, Serena, allegedly had lawyers send her a letter threatening to “change the locks” if she didn’t evacuate the property.

Lakeisha reportedly pleaded guilty in 2020 to forging her ex-husband’s signature and selling his 1999 Bluebird Wanderlodge Motor Coach value $45,000. She also claimed that she did it because he abandoned her and their son Dylan, stating that “Williams didn’t even give her any money for it and that her baby was supposed to buy food and she had to do it to survive.”

She later asserted that she and Williams reconciled three years after their separation and resumed their sexual relationship while he filed a million-dollar lawsuit against his ex-wife.

The former stripper stated in court documents: According to to the Daily Mail: “What really devastated me was my husband (who) didn’t help me. It was my son and I didn’t get any money, so I had to sell it so I could eat and my son could eat… We had nothing.”

However, Williams and his legal team disputed Lakeisha’s claims, stating that she fabricated stories about their romantic involvement and that her son was not eating.

Bills weren’t being paid, and in 2022 their $1.45 million home, which Williams bought in 1995 for $355,000 after the family moved from Compton, was scheduled to be auctioned. However, Lakeisha held up the sale by filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy thrice.

The bankruptcy case was dismissed on July 5, and Florida mortgage lender David Simon told the court that while he did not have the money to repay the mortgage, he did have it for other purposes.

“She cannot afford to pay $11,000 a month,” Simon said in court documents, adding that Lakeisha “spends all of her income on fast food and frivolities.”

She finally filed a motion to have it reinstated. Lakeisha told the court that funds had been secured for her through a repayment plan – although she was also scuffling with this.

Williams, although scuffling with neuralgia and at one point considering he had dementia, desperately wanted to end his marriage. He also had speech problems, which affected his son.

“He wanted me to coach him because when he says yes, sometimes he means no, and when he says no, he means yes.” He would never want his words to be misunderstood. That was the problem,” LeSane said.

Richard was previously married to his first wife from 1965 to 1973. He was married to Serena and Venus’ mom, Oracene, from 1980 to 2002.