Avril Lavigne Figures Best Damn Thing Is Divorce

Pop princess files for divorce after three years of marriage and more than a month of separation

Avril Lavigne is looking to make life less complicated.

The already separated singer has filed for divorce from her hubby of three years, Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley.

Irreconcilable differences were cited as the reason for the split, according to the petition filed last Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

The punky pop duo, both of whom were born and bred in Canada, have no kids together. They swapped vows July 15, 2006, in Montecito, Calif.

Lavigne gave their separation date as Sept. 4, 2009, though her message to fans about "moving forward on a positive note" didn't show up on her website until Sept. 17.

But apparently neither date told the whole story.

Lavigne took a gal-pals-only trip to the South of France in August. Upon her arrival back in L.A., she was overheard saying that she "had the best time and needed that vacation more than ever."

A source told E! News that Lavigne and Whibley had been "growing apart for months. They have become more like business partners rather than husband and wife."

(Originally published Oct. 14, 2009, at 4:41 p.m. PT)