What’s Taking Ben Affleck & Jennifer Lopez So Long? Divorce Lawyer Explains Delay!

We’ve been hearing about Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck‘s “impending” divorce for months now! But how impending can it be if it hasn’t happened yet?

Seriously, if they’re really doing this what’s taking so long?

We’ve heard from insiders there are a number of reasons they might be holding back. One said Ben is worried about hurting or embarrassing Jen further. Another claimed they were trying to protect the kids — who may or may not be trying to Parent Trap them.

Related: Jennifer Lopez Back In LA But ‘Hasn’t Seen’ Ben Affleck In ‘Weeks’!

But what do experts think? InStyle asked divorce attorney Jacqueline Newman, managing partner at Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein, to weigh in. She thinks it might not be hesitation at all. It’s just that regular folks don’t realize how much work goes into a divorce when it’s in the spotlight like this:

“When you’re dealing in a high-profile divorce and you’re dealing with people [whose] marriage is very, very interesting to the public and their reputations are very important, there’s a lot of maneuvering that takes place that wouldn’t in a divorce where you weren’t really dealing with public figures.”

It doesn’t get more high-profile than Bennifer! Newman continued:

“I think that they just want to do it the right way and they want to be respectful. They are going to be, I’m sure, making a statement saying that they love each other very much, they just weren’t able to make this work, and they have a lot of respect for each other and their families; The kind of typical story and statement that people make when they’re getting divorced. But, they won’t be revealing any specifics.”

Knowing also that Ben and Jen are both perfectionists in their fields, it does make a kind of sense they might be taking several passes with their PR people on that statement.

There’s also the reports lately they aren’t talking anymore. So yeah, that absolutely could be putting the plans on hold as they can’t agree on a statement or other strategy stuff if they won’t communicate.

But if they are ready, Jacqueline reckons they could be done in a matter of just a couple weeks. As for what to expect? Probably no trash talk, that’s for sure! The attorney says Bennifer’s divorce agreement almost certainly would contain non-disparagement clauses and confidentiality agreements.

What do YOU think, Perezcious readers?

[Image via MEGA/WENN.]