TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Court TV) — A family law attorney who represented Wendi Adelson during her divorce from Dan Markel testified that while the initial proceedings were not contentious, Markel’s post-divorce filings became increasingly personal and hostile.
Kristin Adamson, a board-certified family law attorney, took the stand as the defense’s ninth witness in the murder trial of Donna Adelson, Wendi’s mother.
Wendi Adelson testifies for the trial of her mother, Donna Adelson on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (Pool/Tallahassee Democrat)
Markel, a Florida State University law professor, was shot and killed in his Tallahassee driveway in July 2014.
Relocation request denied
Adamson testified that Wendi sought to relocate with the couple’s children, a request that was ultimately denied by the court. Prosecutors allege Donna arranged to have Markel killed afterward.
MORE | FL v. Donna Adelson: Matriarch Mastermind Murder Trial
Adamson explained that she advised Wendi that if she wanted to relocate, the divorce proceedings would be her opportunity to seek that approval. Adamson noted that relocation cases are typically unsuccessful, explaining that in her 37 years of practice, she had only been successful in getting a judge to grant relocation once.
Adamson testified that Wendi presented testimony about why she wanted to move and had a job offer to support her request.
However, the judge denied the request, telling counsel that while she understood why Wendi wanted to move, she would not allow it because Wendi had not met her burden to move the children.
MORE | Wendi Adelson says Donna Adelson ‘micromanaged my life’
Adamson described Wendi’s reaction to the denial as upset but calm when the decision was explained to her.
Divorce settlement and financial disputes
The divorce case was ultimately settled within a week of mediation, avoiding a trial. The settlement included provisions for Markel to pay Wendi approximately $10,000 in attorney fees and her portion of the marital home.
However, Adamson testified that Markel failed to make the required payments by the July 31 deadline. She said she wrote letters attempting to get Markel to pay the required amounts.
FILE – Dan Markel (Ruth Markel)
Instead of paying, Markel hired a new attorney and filed a brief alleging that Wendi had breached the marital settlement agreement by hiding money in a Charles Schwab account and other retirement accounts.
MORE | ‘I stayed neutral’ Donna Adelson juror discusses verdict
Adamson testified that it was clear Markel had written the brief himself, with his attorney simply signing it.
Post-divorce hostility
Adamson described how Markel’s filings became increasingly personal after the divorce was finalized. She testified that Markel filed additional pleadings alleging parental alienation and suggesting that both Wendi and Adamson should be disbarred from practicing law.
Adamson testified that she knew she would likely be called as a witness in future proceedings, so she withdrew from representing Wendi and recommended another attorney.
Under cross-examination by prosecutor Sarah Dugan, Adamson acknowledged that while the initial divorce proceedings were not contentious, Markel’s post-divorce filings were hostile.
This story was reported by Tiffany Smith and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
