Selected Divorce Papers for Elvis & Priscilla Presley (1972)

(Aug. 15, 1972)
Elvis and Priscilla Leaving Court

The papers available below are selected pages from the divorce settlement between Elvis and Priscilla.

The full document is comprised of 12 pages and is dated August 15, 1972. They granted Priscilla ownership of a 1971 Mercedes Benz, a ’69 Cadillac El Dorado and a ’71 Harley-Davidson motorcycle in addition to $100,000 in cash and half the income from the sale of their three houses in California.

The divorce did not actually become final until October 1973.

Update: 15 April 2021

Several people have stated that Priscilla was not supposed to use the Presley name after her divorce. I haven’t seen any proof of this but I have subsequently discovered the source of this belief is probably Sonny West’s 2008 book, “Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business.” In this book, he apparently stated that not using the Presley name “. . . was a condition in the divorce decree, according to Elvis, that she was forbidden to use the name Presley for a career name in the entertainment business.” (See Elvis Presley’s Friend Claims Priscilla Presley Wasn’t Supposed to Use Elvis’s Last Name After Their Divorce – But She Eventually Did, Laura Dorwart, December 8, 2020, Showbiz CheatSheet).

If anyone has proof this was part of their agreement, I’d love to see it!


Note: I have closed further commenting on this page, in an attempt to maintain at least some level of objectivity.


Transcription of the Divorce Papers


PROPERTY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

THIS PROPERTY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT is made this 15th day of August, 1972, at Los Angeles, California, between ELVIS AARON PRESLEY (hereinafter referred to as “Husband”) and PRISCILLA ANN PRESLEY (hereinafter referred to as “Wife”).

The parties hereto contract with reference to the following facts:

  1. The parties are husband and wife and were married on May 1, 1967 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  2. There is one (1) child the issue of said marriage: LISA M. PRESLEY, born February 1, 1968.
  3. Husband’s Social Security Number is [redacted]; Wife’s Social Security Number is [redacted].
  4. Unfortunate circumstances and unhappy differences have arisen between the parties by reason of which they have lived separate and apart since February 23, 1972, and by reason of which they intend to dissolve their marriage through a Petition therefor to be filed by Husband in the Los Angeles Superior Court.
  5. By the Property Settlement Agreement, the parties wish to avoid unnecessary litigation and the emotional stress and expense which would accompany same, and to forever, finally and completely settle their property interests as between themselves, their heirs, successors and assigns and all questions and controversies concerning their respective interests in each and every item of property owned by the parties whether held as separate property, community property or quasi-community property, on in joint tenancy or otherwise. Each party agrees not to request this Property Settlement Agreement’s incorporation into or merger as a part of an Interlocutory Judgment of Dissolution. This Agreement shall survive the execution and delivery by either of us of any and all instruments mentioned in it and shall not depend for its effectiveness on the approval of a court, or be affected thereby. Any reconciliation of the parties shall not cancel, terminate, or modify the force or effect of any provision of this Agreement, it being the express intention of the parties that this Property Settlement Agreement can only be modified by an instrument in writing.

I.

COMMUNITY PROPERTY

After a complete disclosure of all assets and sources of income, Husband and Wife agree that the community property of the parties is as follows:

  1. A single family residence located at 1174 Hillcrest Road, Beverly Hills, California;
  2. A single family residence located at 144 Monovale Drive, Los Angeles, California;
  3. A single family residence located at 845 China Canyon Road, Palm Springs, California;
  4. A 1971 Mercedes Benz Automobile, Identification Number 021029;
  5. A 1969 Cadillac Eldorado Automobile, Tennessee License Number 1S3988;
  6. A 1971 Harley Davidson Motorcycle;
  7. Cash in various bank accounts

II.
DIVISION OF COMMUNITY PROPERTY

A. As and for a full settlement of all right, title and interest the Wife may have in and to any property now in the name of the Husband, or in the name of the Husband jointly with others, including all community property set forth hereinabove in Paragraph I, the Wife hereby agrees to accept, as and for her full settlement of any community or quasi-community property rights she may have in said property, the following:

Elvis’ 1971 Mercedes-Benz awarded to Priscilla

(1) A 1971 Mercedes Benz Automobile, Identification Number 021029;
(2) A 1969 Cadillac Eldorado Automobile, Tennessee License Number 1S3988;
(3) A 1971 Harley Davidson Motorcycle;
(4) Cash in the sum of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00); said sum to be payable Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) within five (5) days of the execution of this Property Settlement Agreement, and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) on or before Aug 20, 1973. {initialed by EAP and Priscilla}

B. As and for a full settlement of all right, title and interest the Husband may have in and to any property now in the name of Wife, or in the name of the Wife jointly with others, including all community property set forth hereinabove in Paragraph I, Husband hereby agrees to accept, as and for his full settlement of any community or quasi-community property rights her may have in said property, the following:

(1) The single family residence located at 1174 Hillcrest Road, Beverly Hills, California;

(2) The single family residence located at 144 Monovale Drive, Los Angeles, California;

(3) The single family residence located at 845 Chino Canyon Road, Palm Springs, California.

III.

HUSBAND’S SEPARATE PROPERTY

Wife hereby agrees and acknowledges that all other property of whatsoever kind and nature and wherever located, real, personal, or mixed, which is possessed and/or owned by Husband, and/or which is in Husband’s name and/or held for Husband’s account or benefit, constitutes Husband’s sole and separate property, and Wife hereby assigns and quitclaims to Husband, as of the date of execution of this Property Settlement Agreement, any and all right, title or interest which she may have in all of said property.

IV.

EXECUTION OF FURTHER DOCUMENTS

Each of the parties hereby agrees that, promptly upon demand of the other party at any time hereafter, he or she will make, execute, acknowledge and deliver all such deeds, transfers, assignments or further instruments and will do or cause to be done all such acts and things as reasonably shall be required by either of them to effectuate the intentions of this Agreement and to assure to each of them and to their respective successors, transferees, and assigns, all and singular, the property described or referred to, or hereby intended to be conveyed, assigned, set over, transferred, or to belong to each of them, and to confirm and assure title, possession and right thereto according to the purpose and intent of this Agreement as expressed.

V.

ASSIGNMENT OF INSURANCE

The party receiving specific property under this Property Settlement Agreement is entitled to, and the other party hereby transfers and assigns to him or her, all of his or her right, title and interest in and to whatever insurance exists with respect to such property, and the benefits, if any, with respect to the premiums heretofore paid for, or on account of, such insurance. The party receiving such specific property and insurance policy applicable thereto shall be solely responsible for the payment of all premiums due after the effective date of this Agreement in connection with each such insurance policy, if such party shall decide, in his or her sole discretion, to maintain said policy in force.

VI.

PAYMENT OF COMMUNITY OBLIGATIONS

A. Husband agrees that he shall pay, assume, and hold Wife harmless from all debts incurred by the parties, or either of them, prior to the effective date of this Agreement, which have been disclosed and are presently known by him.

B. Neither party shall incur any indebtedness chargeable against the other or his or her estate from and after the effective date of this Agreement, nor contract any debt or obligation in the name of the other; and each party agrees to indemnify and hold the other harmless from and against any such indebtedness or obligation incurred or created by such indemnifying party. Each of the parties hereby warrants to the other that he [pages not available]


into in the State of California and shall be construed and interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of California. Should any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement or any clause or part thereof be held to be invalid, illegal or void, the terms, provisions, clauses or parts held to be invalid, illegal or void, shall be deleted from this Agreement and the balance of the Agreement shall subsist and be of full force and effect.

XVI.
PARAGRAPH HEADINGS

The paragraph headings used herein are for con[-]venience only and do not purport to provide a complete or accurate summary of the contents of any paragraph. No such heading shall be deemed to have any bearing upon the con[-]struction of any part of this Agreement.

XVII.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS AGREEMENT

It is hereby agreed that the effective date as herein mentioned shall be the date first above written. This Agreement shall not depend for its effectiveness on the approval of the Court in any action for dissolution of marriage now or hereafter pending.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have hereunto set their hands the day and year first above written.

/s/Elvis Aron Presley
ELVIS AARON PRESLEY
“Husband”

/s/Priscilla Ann Presley
PRISCILLA ANN PRESLEY
“Wife”


9


SUPPLEMENT TO PROPERTY SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

It is understood and agreed that it is the intention of the parties to divide their community assets equally and that the $100,000.00 to be received by wife shall be tax-free to her. In the event any claim is made hereafter either by the Federal Government or State of California, Husband agrees to defend same and hold wife harmless of any liability thereon to pay any taxes which may hereafter be assessed.

DATED: This 15th day of August, 1972.

/s/Priscilla Ann Presley
PRISCILLA ANN PRESLEY
“Wife”

/s/Elvis Aron Presley
ELVIS AARON PRESLEY
“Husband”

/s/Robert Brock
ROBERT l. BROCK
Attorney for Wife

HOOKSTRATTEN & IRWIN
Attorneys for Husband

By {Unknown Signature}


divorce-papers7a

 

120 Comments

    • Exactly, as I believe I mentioned, it was through the auction that I was able to obtain copies of some of the pages of those papers

  1. Just my opinion…. why does it matter if cilla goes by presley?…. I do think if Elvis had lived they would’ve gotten back together I do think they still loved each other.. he sang to her after the divorce…. dolly parton’s I’ll always love you.. they stayed in a close relationship and not just for Lisa.. he’s dedicated songs to her on stage during one song he says.. listen cilla…. so if you think about it they could’ve done things differently and stayed together..
    Far as ginger.. ha.. after Elvis passed the Presley family band her from graceland and you can look that up.. think about it she’s the last person to see Elvis alive.. she slept.. never checked on him.. like I said from the start.. my opinion..

    • You do understand that Elvis and Ginger were engaged at the time he died, right? There’s no chance he and Priscilla would have gotten back together.

      He also never sang Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” – I think you’re confusing it with Willie Nelson’s “Always on My Mind.”

      • Billy Smith, his cousin, has a YouTube channel and he and his wife answer questions about Elvis plus they offer their own facts about Elvis. Billy said that he had a conversation with Elvis in his bedroom and asked Elvis if he considered getting back with Priscilla. Elvis replied that he would not go down that road again, that too much had happened.

        • Joanne, wanted to mention this which makes me so angry…Priscilla says she wants to be buried at Graceland! Do you think she can pull that off because she lies about their relationship to the press and no one is alive to stop her!

          • Priscilla should NOT be buried at Graceland! That is just wrong! It appears that she is just trying to get control of everything! I wish Baz Luhrmann and Austin Butler hadn’t been just TOO gracious to her during the the making of the movie. Because of that, now she’s everywhere as though she was more instrumental in the movie than she actually was.

            • Also Joanne, came out today Pricilla is contesting Lisa Marie’s will leaving Graceland operations to Riley, Harper and Finley!!! She wants control! God help us and put her in her place!

              • Yeah, I saw that a couple of days ago. Yahoo Entertainment obtained a copy of the document, which I’m hoping to get a copy of too.

                • I always have said that Priscilla, along with her parents, we’re nothing but opportunists. They saw fame and fortune, especially Priscilla, but also her parents because they allowed her to move to Graceland. Poor Elvis, he should not have done that. Between his greedy manager and money-grubbing wife, he was really done wrong. Priscilla is so phony, questioning her 54 year old daughter’s will. Sickening. I hope Lisa’s daughter doesn’t go along with this ****.

                • I don’t know myself, but it makes sense seeing that she was everywhere. She doesn’t do anything for nothing. Maybe as a consultant? Gag.

                  • You can Google if Priscilla was involved in the making of the movie ELvis. It says yes she was. She said she had a hands on role in consulting on the movie. She does nothing for free. Also, I think Jerry and Priscilla had a thing some years ago. He’s very loyal to her now and he knows she’s in charge. He would never cross her or tell the truth about her relationship with Elvis. Billy Smith knows and will tell the truth. Also, listen to the song Red West wrote for Elvis when he and Priscilla were getting divorced. It is called “Separate Ways.”

                • Priscilla was a consultant and advisor on Elvis’ story. Only thing was, it was from her point of view!

              • I think you guys are giving her waaaay more power than she actually has lol Just how did she make money off a movie that she (as its been stated multiple times by the director himself) had no say in the making of? And I read that she doesn’t want Riley out as trustee, just to rectify the fact that she was never informed that she had been removed from the position herself. The twins are too young for it, and Benjamin (who was the other one named) is unfortunately no longer alive. So why shouldn’t she want to keep her original position, keep Lisa Marie’s greedy ex-husband Michael out of the picture l, and help her granddaughters?

                • Well, I do not think Priscilla is trustworthy. Riley better be on her toes, and have good counsel. That’s all I have to say.

                  • Of course, it’s always possible Riley doesn’t want the job and asked Priscilla to manage it . . . but the press would be sure to spin it as a power struggle between grandmother & granddaughter.

      • Agree. It’s insulting to Ginger the way that Elvis’ EX-WIFE has been using the Presley name, and the way she acts like she’s his widow. Cannot stand the woman.

        • Agree! I cannot stand the woman either! Elvis proposed to Ginger after he had his jeweler make her the engagement ring from his TCB ring. He called in JD Sumner to hear it first-hand from Elvis with Ginger in the room. Elvis said he wanted JD to be the first to hear it. He probably was going to announce it at his shows once the tour got underway. It is so juvenile that Priscilla disavowed Elvis’ significant girlfriends. Especially not allowing Linda to ride in Elvis’ plane and making her fly commercial. That was so low-class, but of course, that is what she is.

          • Billy Smart [sic PresLaw: I think Paula meant Billy Smith] the knows the whole truth about what Priscilla is doing now that she has some media presence due to the movie. He said Elvis would be sick if he saw the way they portrayed him! Priscilla wants to be buried at Graceland! Who can stop this!

            • Where exactly is it said or when has she said she wants to be buried at Graceland? Is there any actual physical proof of this? I had heard she had wanted to be buried with her parents.

              • Thank you for asking this. I get rather tired of people making statements as absolute truth with no source documentation to back them up.

                  • Every article that comes up (and there aren’t really that many), all originate from one source. Now, I’m not surprised at all if she wants to be buried there. After all, her daughter and grandson are buried there, but I hate the idea of that actually happening. Though she has a lot of influence, Graceland now belongs to her granddaughters and I can’t imagine Riley would be too happy about her being buried there, given the current lawsuit!

                    • What about her son. Navarone and her common law husband
                      Navarone’s father? Should Navarone be allowed to be buried there next to his mother? It is all about what would Elvis want and Billy Smith and Lisa Marie’s confidants know all about Priscilla. They should speak out before Priscilla takes over.

                    • I agree, and I hope she isn’t buried at Graceland, I think she has no right to be, unless Riley and her sisters wanted her buried there. I was simply expressing that I understand why she may want to be buried close to Lisa and Benjamin.

                • Exactly! And half the time the “sources” they do pull from are some unnamed person in a tabloid magazine. Unless there’s actual concrete proof they’re just spouting rumours.

        • Sorry, she has every right to the Presley name, Priscilla never remarried & didn’t take back her maiden name in the divorce. She’s legally entitled.

          • Yes, she does. My ex-sister-in-law still uses my family’s last name decades after being divorced.

    • I agree. When he sang, “it’s Midnight,” at a show in 1974, he said, “Listen Cilla.” He was with Linda Thompson at the time, yet he still spoke of Priscilla. Many people say he fell out of love with Priscilla but I honestly feel he still loved her until the day he died.

      • Elvis never pursued Priscilla after divorcing, and just because they had a relationship because they had a daughter together, does not mean he wanted her back. His cousin Billy Smith stated on his YouTube channel that when he asked Elvis if he and Priscilla would get back together, Elvis said that he’d never go down that road again with her.

  2. I keep reading on different posts about the Presley name usage by Priscilla, and I’ve read all the above comments. Please keep me updated about it, meaning proof that she was not supposed to use the Presley name. I do not like Priscilla because she left Elvis. She was way too immature for that relationship, did not value her wedding vows, and has a way of slanting things in her favor. I hate that. Please keep me updated and thanks for all of these comments.

    • Elvis cheated on her constantly. She cheated towards the end. Both were wrong. She deserved to have a life where she wasn’t just a wife or a mom.

      • Your comment is noted; however, they each took marriage vows. Just because one spouse isn’t living up to them, doesn’t mean that the other should act the same way. Vows don’t mean to bail out when the going gets rough, otherwise why take them? Priscilla knew precisely what she was getting in Elvis, yet pushed for marriage anyway. She bailed, he did not. He would not have left her, Graceland was his home. People who stay in their marriages develop deep love, not the superficial love that was evident in the Presley’s marriage.

      • She cheated on him when Lisa was a few months old. And anyway, every good-looking musician in the 1970s cheated! Trust me, I know!

        • First of all, Elvis did not even want to marry Priscilla. That’s a know fact. Even though that might have been how he got her parents to let her come live with him, Elvis always knew the right things to say to get what he wanted. He was a master at that, look at how he handled all the reporters all those years, never falling for their traps. Anyway, Priscilla wanted to marry him and her parents, who were co-opportunists to the max, wanted her to marry him too. She and they knew precisely who and what they were getting. Elvis just gravitated towards women and they to him. He was who he was from beginning to end. So Priscilla can’t play the “poor me” role, she really became jealous of him and of course, once she had the “Mrs.” title, she knew that would entitle to lots of bucks if she divorced him, which is exactly what happened.

  3. Thank you for setting the record straight on this! It’s so annoying when people throw around the “Priscilla wasn’t allowed to keep the Presley name” nonsense, and when you ask for proof they just say they read it somewhere at some point. It’s a vile rumour, nothing else, with no actual physical proof to back it up beyond Sonny West’s book. What there is proof of though is her being referred to and using Presley as her last name in the years following the divorce and long before Elvis’ death.

    People argue that she went by the name “Beaulieu” on her apartment door in the immediate aftermath of the divorce. So what? Wouldn’t you want to try for a little bit of privacy following a very public split from your famous significant other? Especially when you have a small child to protect?

    • No, it doesn’t excuse her. She also owned a boutique using her maiden name. It was only after Elvis had passed away that she returned to the Presley surname. Quite ludicrous, when she then lived with another guy for over 20 years and had a son with him. Priscilla is an opportunist, and her latest antics only solidifies what I’ve known for a long time.

  4. Priscilla lied about her age from the moment she met Elvis. There’s no way in heaven or hell I’d allowed by 14 year old daughter to spend time with a 24 year old man. The whole story about how they met and ended up married is disgusting to say the least. Now Priscilla is the face of Elvis Presley enterprises and making all the creative decisions. She didn’t live in Graceland with before his death so why is she back now. It’s the most absurd overreaching and taking advantage of Vernon’s death to swoop in and take over everything. I can’t stand her. In what world does an ex wife ride the coattails of her ex husband so deceptively like they were still married when he died

    • No, Priscilla doesn’t “make all the creative decisions” – what was Elvis’ estate has been sold to various organizations over the years such as ABG and Authentic Brands. Priscilla also doesn’t live at Graceland, and I very much doubt she’d want to. She’s back because, when Elvis died, she was Lisa Marie’s guardian and had a legal responsibility to protect Lisa’s interests. She didn’t “swoop in.” Now, as for acting like Elvis’ widow, yeah, I can’t stand that either. If anyone was his widow, it was Ginger . . . and if he’d died a few months later, she would have been.

    • “15th day of August, 1972” means more than one year before 9th October 1973. Priscilla’s second lawyer Artur Toll challenged this settlement. For the final divorce settlement, she had Arthur Toll attorney; and Elvis had Harry M. Fain.

    • I totally agree with you, and even now, in the wake of the “Elvis” movie, she acts as if she’s the only legitimate person to make comments or approvals on it. This is all because of them having a child together. They married in 1967, then she left Elvis in 1971 (he had tired of her by then anyway) although the divorce wasn’t finalized until 1973. That’s 4 years of marriage. He was with Linda Thompson from 1972 to 1976 – that’s 4 years as well, so Linda has as much “right” to make statements about Elvis as Priscilla, but Priscilla gets all the notoriety because of having the Presley name.

      • Hi Joanne, you are correct on everything you said. I went to parties at Elvis’ homes in Bel Air in the sixties, met Priscilla and Ann Margret. Billy Smith, his first cousin, is still alive and knows everything! Think he is the only Memphis Mafia guy left. He should tell the truth about Priscilla to People magazine!

        • Thank you for your support! Billy Smith has a YouTube channel with his wife Jo and he clears up a lot of nonsense. I believe that he and Jerry Shilling are the only ones left. Jerry also portrays himself as a spokesperson for Elvis as well, but really, Billy Smith is the best source.

          • Yes, Joanne, back in the sixties ELvis thought Jerry had a crush on Priscilla. I know he is very close to her now so he’d never say anything she would not like. Billy says Priscilla doesn’t like him or his wife as she’s embarrassed by them! Elvis would be disgusted by that. He loved Billy! I’ll have to listen to his podcasts. Thanks.

            • His YouTube channel is called “Elvis Fans Matter”. It’s also on Facebook. They discuss all things Elvis-related and people send in questions for them. It’s entertaining. Thanks for being supportive!

      • Honestly, Ginger Alden, the woman he was engaged to, has been completed obliterated from history by Priscilla and EPE, even to the point that the framed photos of her with Elvis were removed from Graceland, and replaced with pics of his ex-wife. I know Ginger wasn’t with Elvis for a long time, but it is irrelevant; she was the poor woman who found him that fateful day in 1977, and she was the one he asked to marry. And yes, there is verifiable proof of this fact, but Priscilla and Sam Thompson (Linda’s brother and Memphis Mafia cling-on) spread rumors to crush the fact that Ginger was Elvis’ fiance. It’s all on Ginger’s FB page, very revealing what Priscilla has been up to all these years.

      • I agree! Priscilla and her parents were shrewd opportunists for fame and fortune. Elvis showered everyone with gifts but Priscilla was after money, she got it, and then booked. That marriage was such a sham. It’s too bad Elvis moved her to Graceland, that was a big mistake, but he was vulnerable after his mother died for a few years. He apparently had made a verbal commitment to marry her, and decided to honor it, but it’s doubtful he wanted to marry her when he did. Plus, he was controlled by Tom Parker right from the beginning and wasn’t savvy enough to make some hard decisions in his best interest, both personal and professional. It’s probably best he died when he did, I suspect that he was headed for a lot more injustices. I love Elvis, may he be in God’s loving arms.

  5. People referred to her as presley, just as they do today, whenever, there’s a function about Elvis that will sometimes refer to her as Mrs, or Elvis’ widow, which she is neither one, Does she correct it?? NOòooo! Of course not, She loves the attention, & coverage she gets from it..

    • Exactly! There were framed photos of Ginger Alden on Elvis’ nightstand when he passed. Mysteriously, the Estate made sure those have long vanished. The myth that “Graceland is just how it was left” is exactly that – a myth.

      • Yes, Priscilla made sure that any evidence of Linda Thompson be removed, but maybe the stained glass peacocks are still there, but not the furniture or carpeting or anything Linda might have had a hand in, in decorating. Terrible that Ginger’s picture was removed as well. Just terrible.

  6. I agree Patricia.. She took everything from him,that he worked for, He was broke,& that depressed him,, Why so many believe what she says I’ll never understand,,!! She & her parents deceived him from day one took advantage of a man that had just lost his momma, He was a little boy in a man’s body..

  7. Sandra Bumgarner, I agree, I read it & saw it.. so why is it now missing? & why then would she have went by her maiden name Beaulieau, for 4 years until Elvis passed ,& then use the presley name again…It’s not rumors..it happened, & why would many of his Entourage say it, It’s not rumors .. I sure wouldn’t make things up of this kind of thing.

  8. Agreed she had the papers removed off the web.. Cause I seen & read it & many others did as well.

  9. Thank you thank you thank you for this! I could hug you! It is something I keep hearing people repeat and think to be true…where is the proof?! Well because Sonny said it then it must be true?! Funny thing is in the book, Elvis: What Happened? Sonny tells a different story about how much Elvis & Priscilla still loved each other and he believed that they would reunite. Fast forward to his other book in 2008 where he bashes Priscilla and plants this seed for Elvis fans about her not being able to use the Presley name. Why would Elvis want Lisa to have a different name from Priscilla when she was primarily in her care? He was not petty like that. Priscilla shut out a lot of the Memphis Mafia after Elvis’ death because they were so quick to air out all of his dirty laundry and she did not like that rightfully so. She used Presley after the divorce with no issues… she did interviews on TV using Presley, magazine interviews/covers for Ladies Home Journal…the list goes on. This is one rumor that irks me. Thank you for shedding light on it!!

    • Thanks Anastasia

      It’s certainly a very pleasant change to hear from someone who isn’t going to believe something without proof. I’d love to see the actual final divorce decree, which I believe should be a matter of public record. I’m surprised I’ve never seen it published anywhere online.

      –PresLaw

        • I’m not sure what your point is. As far as we are aware, the (partial) agreement shown is the final one. These agreements aren’t publicly available but we were able to obtain copies of some of the pages of the agreement when it was sold by auction.

        • I agree , selected divorce papers ,, I commented once before, on this subject..& a few
          years back I would look things up ,& do print out for my own personal info.. I went through my print outs ,& here you have it ..that Elvis was adamant that priscilla not carry or use the presley name, his father ,friends, Entourage etc. Knew this. But I guess they are afraid to speak up, although they are all deceased now except for one that’s by her side..

          • Yet the article that Nel linked to states: ‘”This man [Elvis] agreed to pay her [Priscilla][additional large sums of money] without any contest,” said Harry Fain, one of Presley’s attorneys, “because he wanted to be generous and make her happy. I never met a man so unselfish.”‘ That doesn’t sound like Elvis placed any demands on Priscilla, does it? And that’s from the mouth of one of his attorneys.

            • Giving her what she wanted was one thing, but using his name for her own self gain, is another,, He didn’t plan on dying, this was the second time she took him back to court for more money, so don’t you think he just wanted to be rid of her & courts, !?? So he gave what she asked for, he wasn’t happy about it, although he may have given a smile to the cameras, but in the photos I’ve seen ,he wasn’t smiling..

              • That’s not consistent with the attorney’s comments though . . . no contemporary report related to either the original agreement or the revised one has ever mentioned this “no use of Presley” requirement.

                Again, I’m not stating categorically it’s not there, it’s just so odd that not a single person can come up with any proof that it was a requirment, just “but I know it was.”

                • It was what he wanted, many of the Entourage knew it, Olivia Echeverria , of Bis & Beau knew it, & so did Vernon. I know why you can’t find it cause she made sure it would be kept from the public, The presley name can & has opened too many doors for her, which is the reason why she started using the name presley ,& never remarried.,

                  • Divorce agreements are (almost always) public records (unless formally requested in court to seal them and the court agrees). Given how much Elvis’ life has been put under the microscope, I’m surprised that no one has paid to get hold of the records from the court . . . or been notified that the records are sealed.

            • Yes, He agreed to pay her , he was that kind of man.. He had talked to her about not using the presley name & she had agreed ,that was what he wanted from the divorce, she was getting what she wanted ,& he was getting what he wanted ,..But then when he passed 4 years later she took the name back.

              • Her not using his name, does not include Lisa Marie not using his name, It was only priscilla he didn’t want using his name for further gain…(Like she has been & still is) She loves the idea that some people still think she’s his widow.

                • I agree ,Someone should pay, & I’m sure the price would be high to unseal them,..The presley name is powerful, just look @ the doors that have opened for her…Lis has every right to use her father’s name, that’s not a problem,, priscilla has taken advantage of the fact that she was once married to Elvis, I believe Sonny West, ..& how can you not, he’s just the only one that knows it, Look up Olivia Echeverria Bis, she has also said that priscilla said sge was only going to use the nam for one Tim, but she liked how doors opened for her so she kept using it.

    • Anastasia..She aired out more than her share of Elvis dirty laundry, if she cared at all she never would have said , & aired anything about Elvis’ private life, & she continued to do so, more than the mafia ever did… they wee wrong completely wrong to write that book about him, I believe it wasn’t done to help Elvis,it was to make money, & out of anger that they got fired,because Priscilla broke him, Yes, he spent, but it was his money to spend, he was too generous to her, & the others that made money off him,, but she had to have more, & he gave more because of his daughter living with him, But you know & I know like everyone else knows, she got greedy then, & is still greedy today..with the movie s that’s been put out about him, & the movie Elvis that was filmed @ Graceland & they say nothing had been touched in Elvis’ room???,!! Johnny Harrah played Elvis,& was in Elvis room & bed, She wasn’t to use the presley name, not all of the Entourage had bad feelings for her, & if sonny had bad feelings or whatever ,I’m sure it was within his right. She wouldn’t be the first mothethat had a name different than her daughter, I believe she didn’t want the public to know that Elvis didn’t want her to keep the presley name.Yoy really should listen to the song he sings Fairytale, & listen to what he says when he walks out on stage introducing the song …He says ..” it’s the story of his life”

    • The MM boys weren’t the only ones slandering Elvis’ name after his death…Priscilla did the same thing in her stupid book, blaming him for all the misery of being married to him, she even went so far as to accuse him of “forcefully” making love to her stating “this is how a real man makes love to his woman.. I think we can all decifer what she meant by forcefully don’t you? Of course over the years she’s tried to backpeddle with that statement claiming she “spoke to harshly”,to late everyone who read her nasty little book had already seen it.. nice thing to have in print for their daughter & grandchildren possibly read some day. Maybe someday people will realize that she is NOT the sweet little angel she tries to convince people that she is. Take a look at the book “Child Bride” which tells of her & her parents darker side. Elvis wasn’t the only one that screwed things up, it takes 2.

      • Priscilla did NOT slander Elvis. She wrote about HER life…which she has every right to do. She was not treated the best in the marriage. Let’s not overlook that. Please do not recommend Child Bride to anyone. It is a horrible book. The author interviewed neighbors and classmates (some from when she was a baby!) 40 years later to comment on her character as an ADULT. The author starts the narrative that Priscilla was the one who pursued Elvis then she changes to no it was all her parents. Rinse & repeat. She says Priscilla wanted to move to Memphis and then pages later she absolutely did not want to go. The book was nothing but a smear campaign.

        • I plan to get Child Bride this week. It is not a smear campaign to write things the way they are perceived. Priscilla didn’t mind “smearing” personal and intimate details about Elvis on national TV and also putting them in a book. I always have said that she and her parents were nothing but opportunists. They saw fame and fortune and capitalized on both. Priscilla knew precisely what she was getting with Elvis. I have to say one thing about Elvis: He NEVER talked about any woman he was ever with, about any details, intimate or not. He was a perfect gentleman. I know there are many women who had significant relationships with Elvis who have given their thoughts on him, but it is only Priscilla who said damning things about him. Like I said, an opportunist all along.

    • Don’t let it irk you. Even if there was nothing in the settlement stating she shouldn’t use his name, she left him for a married man, lived with another guy for like 20 years and had a son with him. So why on earth, after literally 5 years of marriage (ok, 6 if you include the year they were separated) would she still be using the Presley name? I think we both know the reason. The time came LONG ago when Priscilla should have moved on.

      • You are so right. I can’t stand Priscilla. She knew exactly what she was doing and had a plan. Shame on her for keeping the Presley name and getting rich off it. She had an affair and played the “poor me” card. I think that is why she always has that innocent little look on her face and her sweet little demeanor is just for show and the public falls for it. She wasn’t stupid and knew how to get what she wanted. Who I do feel sorry for was Lisa Marie. She was caught up in the middle of her Moms games.

        • I’m not exactly a fan of Priscilla but I do think you’re taking it to the extreme. Elvis had affairs too, he was no angel. Also, when he died his estate was in a pretty bad way financially and Priscilla, as the mother of his sole heir, had a court-appointed duty to help manage the estate to provide for Lisa. She didn’t just take over, she had a legal responsibility to do so. Elvis’ legacy (in terms of what his descendants have to inherit) would not be what it is today without her intervention.

    • It’s interesting that Priscilla didn’t like the “Memphis Mafia” airing his dirty laundry when she went on national TV talking about very intimate details of her life with Elvis, also in her book. So what’s the difference?? Elvis, to my knowledge, never talked intimately about anyone publicly, not any woman, not any man.

  10. If you notice not all the papers of the divorce are there…some are taken out..& that would be the part where she’s ordered to not use the Presley name ,,but to go back using Beaulieau…if you recall she did…the name on her apt condo was Beaulieau…then later when Elvis left & Vernon passed she went back to Presley…she was only suppose to use it for the boutique Bis & Beau..that she was in partners with Olivia Bis..

    • Hi Joanna

      Yes, as the webmaster of PresLaw, and the fact they’re referred to as “selected papers,” I’m well aware they are not all there. However, to just assume the missing papers are where a requirement to not use the Presley name is found isn’t good enough. Not a single person has been able to offer anything but a rumor that the requirement is there, and not a single description of these papers anywhere online that I’ve found mentions such a requirement. I’m not saying there wasn’t one, but I’m also not going to state there is one based on nothing but rumors and hearsay.

      • Hi Pres Law… Thank you ..But it’s not just from so NY or marty, or anyone,, I saw it myself. That it said that Elvis had his Lawyer put in a clause in the divorce that the media knew nothing about, & that was He was adamant that priscilla not use the presley name for her own self gain, & that she go back using her own name Beaulieau. Also it stated, that Elvis spoke to her about this & she was on board with it..,& the judge granted that she.go back to using her own name Beaulieau, & yo not use the presley name… Also once the divorce was granted Priscilla did in fact go by her maiden name ,& when Elvis passed away, she started using the presley name again, Also there was a interview of people that were asked certain questions.. & Olivia Echeverria Co- owner of Bis & Beau that had started the boutique was asked if priscilla used the presley name..& her reply was she said she was only going to use the name one time for the boutique, & I’ll return to my name..Olivia also added that she never did return to the name Beaulieau, once she saw how the presley name opened doors for her she kept using it.. That’s more than one person that knows & has said that she was ordered to use her own name Beaulieau as she did when first divorced & that was the name on her condo door… someone took those papers off Google, & any trace what of what Olivia had said..

        • Yet, as I’ve said now several times, there is not one single item of proof that this actually happened. And, until there is, I’m not going to affirm that it was part of the divorce agreement. It certainly may have been but, right now, it’s all just hearsay and rumor.

          And, as for your comment that “someone took those papers off Google” – Google is just one one many search engines and there is absolutely no evidence of this either, other than your belief that it’s the only explanation as to why no one can find them. People have also seen Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster but there’s no actual evidence of them and screaming that you saw it really isn’t helping to establish the truth.

          What you’re presenting is another conspiracy theory, not actual, real evidence.

          • Thing is I saw it.. which is why I’m wondering why it can’t be found now…I’m not yelling, but I know what I saw & read ….thank you

          • No ..I’m not presenting another conspiracy theory, I refuse to go into groups that have these conspiracy theories, that’s not what I’m doing, I don’t know why this info is kept hidden, I thought all divorce papers were to be public knowledge!! If it is why are there pages missing??

            • The pages aren’t “missing” as such. I obtained these images from 2-3 sources, all of which contained just a few pages from the full set, which were being auctioned in England. I just didn’t have access to them all. Whoever purchased them at that auction now owns the original complete divorce agreement. If they are publicly available, as well as the final divorce decree, I’m sure you could obtain copies from the pertinent courthouse.

        • I totally agree with everything you have wrote! I also know that I have read the exact same thing of which you have written. But now I cannot find it either! But I believe you 100% and know that I have seen it also!!

        • Thanks for doing this research. Sounds legit. I cannot stand Prissy.

    • All of Elvis’s friends said it was in the divorce papers. That is why she never got marries she wanted to keep that name, even after having a baby out of wedlock. Everybody blames Elvis, but she wasn’t any bodies good thing. She talks too much about their personal life. I know Elvis would never talk about her. She should be ashamed about that, especially talking about their sex life. What kind of woman does that. Elvis was a good person. He just needed a good woman to really love him.

  11. Where is the document of the changing of names in regards to Priscilla–the document that shows the judge grants the woman to take her maiden name back.

  12. Where is the final judgment statement signed by the judge and giving the final dissolution or DIVORCE date granted to both parties?

    • Cheryl, unfortunately PresLaw only has access to these select pages from the divorce settlement right now.

      • Why is there no paper saying that the wife was ordered by the judge to use her own name…it was a clause Elvis had his lawyer put in..WHY is it not included?

        • As I already stated, I personally don’t believe there is such an order – it’s certainly not included in these papers or in any report I can find online about the contents of the divorce agreement when it was auctioned. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to the full divorce documents. If you have _proof_ that such an order exists, rather than rumors it exists, I’d love to see it.

          • There has to be a statement that she couldn’t use his name for personal gain. I read it in a document years ago, otherwise I would not know this. I remember telling my husband this.

          • I’m with Preslaw on this. I have looked into this topic for years. There is no proof. It is a rumor. People claiming to have “seen” it can never back it up with proof. This rumor came from a member of the Memphis Mafia whom I will not name. They were “scorned” by Priscilla and came back with this rumor. I have a few pieces of proof to where Priscilla used Presley while Elvis was still alive…one of which is her interview in Ladies Home Journal in 1973 after the divorce she used Priscilla Presley. Another instance where she used Priscilla Presley was also in 1973 when she gave a TV interview with Elliot Mintz. If she wasn’t “allowed” why wasn’t any action taken against her? Those are the 2 examples that pop into my mind at the moment but there are more. She was also on a couple of talk shows promoting her boutique and again she used Presley. Also after Elvis died, she attended the unveiling of an Elvis statue in Las Vegas in 1978 with Vernon Presley and she used the name Priscilla Presley…do you think for one moment if this was a real clause that Vernon would be OK with it?! No, he would have called her out. Priscilla did not have anything removed from the internet because there was nothing to remove. If you are an Elvis fan you know that Elvis was not petty and he was so very generous…you can see that in the settlement…he was quoted as saying, “Give her whatever she wants.” Lisa was mainly in Priscilla’s care so why ban her from retaining her last name?! Silly nonsense.

            • I’m not banning Lisa from her last name, & I saw & read this right here, I wasn’t looking for it ,just happened to check out the divorce & that popped up..way before anyone said anything, & not just one person in Elvis Entourage has said this, I’m not going by what they said ,,@ the time I didn’t even read their books, & Vernon was too sick, @ the time, Look @ him, he wasn’t a well man. I know many are priscilla fans , & stand by what ever she says, whether it be about Elvis or the next person, Elvis was the king, & sge was nothing, before Elvis, if not for him none of them would be recognized.

            • People referred to her as presley, just as they do today, whenever, there’s a function about Elvis that will sometimes refer to her as Mrs, or Elvis’ widow, which she is neither one, Does she correct it?? NOòooo! Of course not, She loves the attention, & coverage she gets from it..

              • I have to say, it really bugs me that she’s looked upon as Elvis’ widow. If anyone should be viewed that way it would be Ginger Alden. However, Priscilla certainly did a lot to increase the wealth of the Presley estate in a way that Vernon could never have done.

                • Exactly. I’m on Ginger Alden’s Facebook. She has a mountain of questions that she answers. She’s a very classy lady who’s been wrongly treated by Priscilla. She kept out of the limelight for decades, got married, had a son, but has just relatively recently written her account of her time with Elvis to try to counter all the lies and innuendos that Priscilla keeps spewing. #TeamGinger

    • Presley… If you don’t believe we read it, then check it out Elvis divorce| Èlvis Expert.. Not everyone can be wrong.

      • If you’re referring to https://theelvisexpert.com/tag/elvis-divorce/ then those are the exact same papers/pages I’m using here and that article about the papers mentions nothing about Priscilla not using the Presley name. However, I am currently in contact with the court archives that should have their final divorce decree and, depending on how many pages long it is, I hope to get a copy soon.

        I know if another post on that page the author mentions the “don’t use the Presley name” requirement but I still want to see this in a formal court document.

          • If you’re referring to the Graceland archives, I doubt they would have that information or, even if they do, that they would be willing to share it.

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