Witherspoon's dad accused of bigamy

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NASHVILLE, May 10 (UPI) -- The parents of Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon are embroiled in a bigamy lawsuit, court documents filed in Tennessee show.

The film star's mother, Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Witherspoon, and father, John Draper Witherspoon, have been married for 42 years, but have lived apart since 1996 because of John's drinking and hoarding problems, The (Nashville) Tennessean reported Thursday.

Betty Witherspoon filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to have her husband's January marriage to Tricianne Taylor annulled and claiming John Witherspoon didn't remember it happening, the newspaper said.

Betty Witherspoon said in the court documents she loves her husband and does not want a divorce. She said she believes her 70-year-old spouse is suffering from early-onset dementia and is being taken advantage of financially by Taylor, the Tennessean reported.

Reese Witherspoon's film credits include "Walk the Line," "Legally Blonde," "Cruel Intentions" and "Election."