Joey Lawrence’s Estranged Wife Samantha Cope Seeking Full Custody of Their 19-Month-Old Daughter

Mar. 15, 2025

Samantha Cope and Joey Lawrence with daughter, Dylan.Photo:samantha cope/Instagram

samantha cope/Instagram

Samantha Copeis asking for full custody of her andJoey Lawrence’s 19-month-old daughter, Dylan Rose.

Cope requested sole physical custody of their toddler while permitting Lawrence visitation at her discretion. She specified that once Dylan is 3 years old, Lawrence “will have the option to take her for 2 nights in her home location if he is not working and can facilitate her visiting.”

Per the filing, Cope has requested that Lawrence does “not take [Dylan] for long, extended periods of time until she is old enough to specifically ask for the visitation time and all parties agree and able to facilitate.”

Cope also requested to block the court’s ability to award either side spousal support.

Samantha Cope and Joey Lawrence with daughter, Dylan.samantha cope/Instagram

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The former couple welcomed Dylan on Jan. 16, 2023. Lawrence also shares his two older daughters, Charleston, 18, and Liberty, 14, with his ex-wife,Chandie Yawn-Nelson.

Cope and Lawrence sparked speculation of a split when Lawrence was spotted without a wedding ring in PEOPLE’sexclusive photosof his family vacation to Jamaica in August. Cope was noticeably absent from the pictures.

The former couple met while filming Lifetime’sMy Husband’s Secret Brotherin 2021.

Lawrence and Cope said"I do" in front of their friends and familyat the Temecula Creek Inn in Temecula, Calif. on May 1, 2022.

At the time, Lawrence told PEOPLE that their union felt “so right,” adding, “Life can be challenging at times, but when God gives you the right person, it’s worth it.”

More recently, Lawrencespoke to PEOPLE for an interviewin December 2023 about their “unorthodox” meeting.

“That was just very, very much out of the ordinary for me,” he told PEOPLE at the time. “I’ve never actually gotten into a serious relationship with somebody that I actually worked with, never.”

“It was very unexpected,” he continued. “These wild twists and turns that you get to be our age. You just kind of go, ‘All right, well, I guess that’s what it is.’ You learn to accept the unorthodox way some things just sort of roll out and you’re thankful for — you’re thankful for it, even though it’s not what you expected.”

source: people.com