( CNN ) -- Reese Witherspoon 's mother wants a Tennessee judge to annul her husband 's recent marriage because she says she is still married to him , according to court documents . `` I love my husband and do not want a divorce , '' Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon said in a sworn affidavit . `` We have been married for 42 years . He needs help . '' The couple separated in 1996 `` because of his alcoholism , infidelity , overspending and hoarding , '' she said . Witherspoon , who said she speaks to her husband of 42 years `` many times per week , '' learned through a Nashville newspaper announcement last month that John Witherspoon married `` a woman named Tricianne Taylor '' on January 14 , the annulment petition said . Witherspoon , 63 , said her husband , 70 , denied getting remarried , but a marriage license was filed , the petition said . `` When I confronted my husband , he said he did n't know who Tricianne Taylor was and that he did not remember getting married , '' she said . `` I fear that he has early onset dementia , '' Witherspoon , who is a retired nurse , said in her petition , which was filed Wednesday . The court filing claims that Tricianne Taylor , also known as Patricia Taylor , is aware that he is still married because the first wife told her on April 30 . `` She refused to talk to me , '' Witherspoon said in her affidavit . `` I also wrote her a letter stating that John Witherspoon was married and had two children and four grandchildren . I have had no response . But she clearly knows now that she is married to a man who is not divorced . '' Witherspoon raised concern that her husband is in danger . `` My husband is diabetic , has heart disease , and is otherwise not in good health , '' she said in her filing . `` He could easily die through lack of medicine , or too much medicine , or some other malicious act . '' He was recently `` let go from his medical practice '' in Nashville , where he worked as an otolaryngologist for 30 years , she said in the affidavit . The first Mrs. Witherspoon has a harsh assessment of Taylor . `` My husband 's spending practices have accelerated , '' Witherspoon said in her statement . `` I now understand that he may have borrowed $ 400,000 at Bank of America and either forged my name or had his girlfriend posing as his wife sign . This past week he bought a black Cadillac . '' Taylor `` attempted to crash the March 2011 wedding of Reese Witherspoon , but was denied entrance because she was not on the guest list , '' the petition said . `` I have since learned from friends and investigators that Tricianne Taylor has attempted to borrow money as Ms. John Witherspoon , '' her affidavit said . `` Also , she is living in the condominium owned by my daughter Reese . And she is driving our vehicles . I have also learned through an investigator that she has gotten my husband to sign a new will . '' Reese Witherspoon 's representative said `` no comment '' when CNN asked about the case . CNN has been unable to contact John Witherspoon or Taylor for comment . Court filings do not identify their legal counsel .
Mary Elizabeth Witherspoon : She learned of her husband 's marriage in a newspaper . `` I fear that he has early onset dementia , '' she says of her husband . The Witherspoons , married for 42 years , separated in 1996 but never divorced . Reese Witherspoon 's rep says `` no comment '' on her parents ' dispute .