Why is Brittany Cartwright divorcing Jax Taylor? Official reason behind Vanderpump Rules couple's split explored

Brittany Cartwright has officially filed for divorce from Jax Taylor six months after they separated and five years after their wedding.

The former Vanderpump Rules star has filed the court documents to dissolve her marriage to Taylor in Los Angeles on Tuesday, August 27. She noted her reason for divorcing Jay Taylor as "irreconcilable differences." Per the court documents, the former couple had split as early as January 24 this year, which is one day before Cartwright's birthday.

The reality TV star also requested the judge to remove the right to ask for spousal support both for her and her ex-husband. Besides the waived spousal support, Cartwright is also seeking the primary custody of her and Taylor's son, Cruz, who is now three years old. That said, she wants to keep Taylor in their son's life and has requested the court to grant Taylor some visitation rights.

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Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor had difficulties in their marriage earlier this year

Long before Brittany Cartwright filed for divorce and confirmed her separation from Jax Taylor, the Vanderpump Rules alum had been candid about problems in their marriage.

In the February 22 episode of their joint podcast called When Reality Hits, The Valley star alluded to the ups and downs in her marriage. She said:

"I'm not going to go too hard on this because, you know, some people do deserve to have their privacy. But I will say this—marriage is hard and people go through ups and downs all the time and it's completely normal. Sometimes people might need their space, sometimes they won't."

Several days after speaking on their marital issues, Cartwright mentioned in their podcast's February 29 episode that she indeed needed the space and confirmed that she had moved into another house. The reality TV star said that it had been a "particularly rough year" for her and Taylor's marriage, so they decided to take some time apart.

The space, according to Cartwright, is a decision she made "for the sake of [her] mental health. She also noted in the podcast that her split from Taylor is "still very hard to talk about," and while she maintained protecting her privacy, she also said that she wants to be open and honest about their struggles.

However, Jax Taylor insisted that the space between him and Brittany Cartwright "is not a divorce." In a March video interview, He told Page Six that they are "taking some time apart" only because they are trying to reassess their situation. When asked about a chance for reconciliation with Cartwright, Taylor's response was, "Of course. I mean this is not divorce."

He also mentioned that their top priority at the moment is their son, Cruz, and will ultimately be doing what is best for him.

However, with the latest update, the former Vanderpump Rules star is ready to end their marriage legally. Brittany Cartwright filed the paperwork days after Taylor finished his in-patient treatment for his "mental health struggles," which lasted for 30 days.