Willis bases her conspiracy theory on the fact that, on January 8, Roman’s filing was made public and on the same day, she was served a subpoena and Merchant moved to unseal the Wades’ divorce case.

That certainly makes this all a bit different from the usual “other woman” element in the divorce case. However, it is not a smart move. The level of animus and vexatious language in the filing only magnifies the concern over the Willis-Wade relationship. By attacking the estranged wife of her alleged lover, Willis only increases concerns over the professional separation between Willis and Wade in making decisions in the case. …

In the end, the accusatory motion was a mistake in my view. Willis could have objected to the necessity of the deposition on factual and legal grounds (as she does) without escalating the rhetoric and recriminations.

[This filing makes her animus toward Mrs. Wade and her personal investment in Mr. Wade abundantly clear. But it also opens the door to unsealing the divorce records too, because in accusing Mrs. Wade of infidelity, Willis likely breached the seal already. It’s yet another instance of Willis blundering her way into more potential legal peril. — Ed]