Amy Winehouse & Blake Fielder-Civil: The Divorce That Couldn't Save Her Life
He introduced her to heroin. She paid him £250K to leave. Two years later, she was dead at 27.
Key Facts
What Happened
Amy Winehouse was one of the most gifted vocalists of her generation, a six-time Grammy winner whose album 'Back to Black' is considered one of the greatest of the 21st century. Blake Fielder-Civil was a former music video production assistant with a history of drug use. They married on May 18, 2007, in Miami, after an intense and chaotic courtship. By his own admission, Fielder-Civil introduced Winehouse to crack cocaine and heroin. The relationship accelerated her descent into addiction in ways that played out on front pages worldwide.
The couple's life together was a public spectacle of mutual destruction. Both were arrested, hospitalized, and photographed in states of extreme intoxication. In 2007, Fielder-Civil was arrested for perverting the course of justice (bribing a witness in an assault case) and sentenced to 27 months in prison. While he was incarcerated, Winehouse's father Mitch and her management team convinced her to file for divorce, citing his unreasonable behavior and the destructive impact of the relationship.
The divorce was granted on July 16, 2009, and finalized on August 28, 2009. It was an uncontested proceeding — Fielder-Civil did not fight it. Under the clean-break settlement, Winehouse reportedly paid him approximately £250,000 ($309,000). The 'clean break' designation was critical: it meant Fielder-Civil waived all future claims to her estate and earnings. This would prove significant when Winehouse died on July 23, 2011, of alcohol poisoning at age 27.
After her death, Fielder-Civil filed a £1 million claim against her estate, arguing that the divorce settlement was inadequate. The claim was rejected because the clean-break order specifically terminated all future financial obligations. Winehouse's £4.3 million estate passed to her parents as she died intestate. The case is a heartbreaking illustration of how addiction and codependency can consume a marriage — and why a clean-break divorce settlement, while painful, can protect a family's financial future.
Legal Breakdown: Domestic Violence Allegations
Clean-Break Settlements Explained
A clean-break order is a one-time financial settlement that permanently ends all financial ties between former spouses. Neither party can come back later to claim more money, even if circumstances change dramatically. In Winehouse's case, the clean break protected her estate from Fielder-Civil's post-death claim — exactly the kind of scenario it's designed to prevent.
Addiction as Grounds for Divorce
In England and Wales (before the no-fault divorce law of 2022), one party had to prove grounds such as 'unreasonable behaviour.' Fielder-Civil's drug use, criminal activity, and introduction of Winehouse to hard drugs clearly met this threshold. In the US, many states still allow fault-based divorce on grounds of habitual drug or alcohol use.
Dying Without a Will (Intestacy)
Winehouse died without a will at age 27. Under English intestacy rules, because she had no children and was divorced, her entire estate went to her parents. Had she still been married to Fielder-Civil, he would have inherited everything. The timing of the divorce quite literally determined who inherited her legacy.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →If your spouse introduced you to or enables substance abuse, this is a recognized form of harm that courts take seriously in divorce proceedings.
- →A clean-break settlement is painful upfront but provides permanent protection. It prevents an ex-spouse from making future claims against your estate or earnings.
- →Get a will immediately after your divorce is finalized. Dying intestate means the law — not you — decides who gets everything.
- →If you're divorcing someone with addiction issues, work with a family law attorney who understands substance abuse dynamics. Standard negotiation tactics don't apply.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.