Serving child custody papers to Elon Musk appears to be a full-time job.
The tech billionaire reportedly evaded numerous process servers in at least a dozen locations after Grimes sued Musk in late September for physical custody of their three children, according to court documents obtained Friday by Insider.
Proof-of-service papers filed last week showed Grimes hired four people who, between Oct. 13 and Oct. 20, tried serving Musk at the X headquarters in San Francisco, the SpaceX launch site in Boca Chica, Texas, and his Tesla gigafactory in Austin.
They also tried several addresses tied to Musk — including a local horse farm.
The obtained filing alleged one process server encountered a woman at the farm who, when asked if Musk was present at the time, curtly replied: “Nope, not here.” Another process server even tracked Musk’s private jets in an unsuccessful attempt to find him.
Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, reportedly filed a “petition to establish parental relationship” on Sept. 29. These are often required when two parents are unmarried, as is the case here, and one is seeking child support or custody.
Musk reportedly started the legal battle with a similar lawsuit on Sept. 7. In October, the singer claimed in a Texas court that Musk had custody of their three-year-old son X Æ A-Xii over her “objection.”
Two of the process servers hired in October reportedly tried to track Musk down at the home of Shivon Zilis, a director at his Neuralink startup and the mother of two of his kids. Someone who purported not to know Musk met them at the door.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images
Process servers were told to vacate the Tesla factory and X offices by security guards and a police officer. However, Grimes argued in her filing that Musk was served as her complaint was left with security guards.
Musk’s attorneys claimed Grimes should have continued trying to properly serve him, while her lawyers argued he was indeed served on Oct. 20 via substitute service — through Musk’s employees — and even mailed him the papers on that date.
Musk and Grimes started dating in 2018 and share, in addition to their three-year-old, a nearly two-year-old daughter named Exa Dark Sideræl and a 2-month-old son named Techno Mechanicus. The couple broke up in 2021.
Biographer Walter Isaacson notably posted about his book on Musk in September on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter (which Musk acquired for $44 billion in 2022), only for Grimes to reply: “Tell Elon to let me see my son or plz respond to my lawyer.”
Support HuffPost
The Stakes Have Never Been Higher
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Our News, Politics and Culture teams invest time and care working on hard-hitting investigations and researched analyses, along with quick but robust daily takes. Our Life, Health and Shopping desks provide you with well-researched, expert-vetted information you need to live your best life, while HuffPost Personal, Voices and Opinion center real stories from real people.
Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way.
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Help keep news free for everyone by giving us as little as $1. Your contribution will go a long way.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. A vibrant democracy is impossible without well-informed citizens. This is why HuffPost's journalism is free for everyone, not just those who can afford expensive paywalls.
We cannot do this without your help. Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month.
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, the very foundations of our democracy are at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a vibrant democracy is impossible without well-informed citizens. This is why we keep our journalism free for everyone, even as most other newsrooms have retreated behind expensive paywalls.
Our newsroom continues to bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes on one of the most consequential elections in recent history. Reporting on the current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly — and we need your help.
Support our newsroom by contributing as little as $1 a month.
Support HuffPost
Author: Maria Page
Last Updated: 1702138682
Views: 871
Rating: 4.4 / 5 (43 voted)
Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful
Name: Maria Page
Birthday: 1974-09-30
Address: 8762 Charles Unions, West Amber, KS 69907
Phone: +4455950500236234
Job: Environmental Engineer
Hobby: Chess, Gardening, Bird Watching, Embroidery, Aquarium Keeping, Motorcycling, Photography
Introduction: My name is Maria Page, I am a venturesome, Precious, Adventurous, accomplished, persistent, expert, vibrant person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.