'Modern Family' Actress Ariel Winter Retains Sister As Legal Guardian

Ariel Winter, best known for starring on ABC sitcom Modern Family, has retained her sister Shanelle Gray as her permanent legal guardian following a drawn out court battle with her mother, Crisoula Workman.

Ariel Winter Reaches Settlement

The settlement was reached in the guardianship dispute right before a trial was to commence between Winter, 16, and her mother. Workman stipulated in court that if Winter watched a video montage of family photos before the court adjourned on Monday, she’d stop fighting her wish to shift guardianship to her sister, reported Entertainment Tonight.

Following the montage, a teary Winter and her sister, Grey, exited the courtroom, declining to speak to Workman. In the settlement, Winter is not obliged to visit or speak with her mother.

Back in 2012, Winter was taken from her mother’s home amid allegations that Workman was emotionally and physically abusing her. Gray was subsequently granted temporary custody. Last August, Winter’s brother, actor Jimmy Workman, filed to get temporary custody of Winter from Gray. He was unsuccessful.

Glenn Workman, Winter’s father, while he will not have legal guardianship, was granted financial guardianship over his daughter until she turns 18 in January 2016 by the Los Angeles judge.

“The family has moved beyond the conflict,” said Gray and Crisoula Workman in a join statement.

In addition to continuing in her role as Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, Winter will also appear in the feature film Truck Stop with Evan Peters and Juno Temple.