Kevin Costner’s estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, has asked the court to deny the actor’s request to help him pay legal fees amid their bitter ongoing divorce.
In court documents, obtained by entertainment tonight On Friday, the 68-year-old Yellowstone actor had asked his 49-year-old ex to help pay $100,000 of his legal fees.
However, the designer, who was recently seen vacationing in Hawaii with Costner’s banker friend, responded by asking a judge to deny the star’s request.
She said the Oscar winner wouldn’t have racked up such huge fees if he hadn’t filed motions to quickly remove her from his $145 million Santa Barbara mansion.
Earlier this month, according to the documents, Kevin was ordered to pay $200,000 in attorneys’ fees and $100,000 in coroner’s costs. He had asked Christine to pay a third of the total fees, which comes to $100,000.
Divorce battle: Kevin Costner’s estranged wife, 68, Christine Baumgartner, 49, has asked the court to deny the actor’s request to help pay his legal fees amid their bitter ongoing divorce; seen in March 2022
Baumgartner, however, argued that Costner could have avoided such high fees had he not filed a motion in July asking him to move on from his multi-million dollar estate in August.
A court hearing, regarding legal fees, is scheduled for next month, on August 2, in Santa Barbara.
The former couple initially married in 2004, and Christine filed for divorce on May 1 after 18 years of marriage. She noted that their separation date was April 11, citing that the reason for the split was due to “irreconcilable differences.”
The divorce filing had left Kevin ‘shocked’ and the star actually had plans to file for divorce first, sources said. Sun last June. She had assumed that the two were going to amicably part and go through the steps of their prenuptial agreement.
Since proceedings began, the divorce has been far from amicable, from Kevin claiming his ex refused to leave the $145 million mansion despite giving him $1.45 million for a new residence, to Christine claiming the actor was trying to leave her and their kids “homeless.”
Earlier Monday, Christine spoke up, insisting she has no plans to “strip” her Santa Barbara mansion of items before leaving the grounds, which she was ordered to do by July 31.
Baumgartner shared in new legal documents that he will show photos in a PDF to Kevin’s lawyers of what he plans to remove from the mansion, according to a report from Eastern Time.
And that means there shouldn’t be an ’emergency hearing’ on what belongings will be removed. Christine said a hearing was ‘unnecessary’.
Fees: Earlier this month, according to the documents, Kevin was ordered to pay a whopping $200,000 in attorney fees, as well as $100,000 in coroner’s costs and asked his ex to pay a third of the total fees; seen in february
Motions: Said the Oscar winner wouldn’t have racked up such huge fees if he hadn’t filed motions to quickly get her out of his $145 million Santa Barbara mansion; ex-couple seen in 2014
Also in the filing, it was revealed that Baumgartner rented an ‘off-site’ storage unit to store some silverware, some pots and pans, a Peloton bike, family heirlooms, clothing, and friends’ personal items. There was also a ‘mother and daughter horse photo’ that he wanted to keep.
And it was added that Baumgartner would “not harm” Costner during the removal of his articles.
Last week, a judge ruled that he must consult with Kevin before taking any property from the estate. He has been prohibited from taking with him works of art, furniture, household goods or belongings, without his explicit consent.
It was also stated that she will be prohibited from taking any property other than her clothes, toiletries, bags and jewelry out of the mansion.
This comes after he accused her of ransacking the house they had previously shared.
Through his lawyer, the Yellowstone star accused his ex of taking his belongings “without his knowledge or consent,” which he says have increased significantly.
The star also claimed that Baumgartner had made payments to his own divorce lawyer through a credit card belonging to one of Costner’s employees, according to documents obtained by TMZ.
The latest disputes between the former couple come just days after a judge ruled that Costner must pay $129,000 a month in child support, which was just over half of what Baumgartner had been asking for, but more than double what the actor and director said he should pay.
Child support: The latest disputes between the former couple come just days after a judge ruled Costner must pay $129,000 a month in child support; seen in 2019
In the documents, Costner’s legal team wrote that Baumgartner “has displayed a disturbing propensity in recent months, both before and after the separation, to take [Kevin’s] property without their knowledge or consent, especially since this case was filed.’
The former couple welcomed three children during the course of their marriage: sons Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13.
One of the most puzzling claims in the documents is that Baumgartner allegedly paid a criminal defense attorney $25,000 from an estate fund Costner had set up.
He claimed that he was unaware of the payment and that the money should only have been used for real estate transactions anyway.
‘Shocked’: The divorce filing had left Kevin ‘shocked’ and the star actually had plans to file for divorce first, sources told The Sun last month in June; seen in 2013
Back in the day: The former couple initially married in 2004, with Christine filing for divorce on May 1 after 18 years of marriage; seen in 2015
More puzzling, however, is why Baumgartner would want or need a criminal defense attorney in the first place, and the filing doesn’t seem to clear up that question.
The documents allege another improper payment, this time an amount paid to Baumgartner’s divorce attorney, Susan Wiesner, which Costner’s team said was charged to “an employee’s credit card traditionally used for Costner family home charges and paid with [Kevin].’
They also accuse the designer of obtaining cash advances on multiple credit cards paid for by her ex but issued to members of the household’s staff.
Although several of the claims in the filing appear to have taken place after Baumgartner filed for divorce from the Dances With Wolves star, Costner’s lawyers also appear to accuse her of having planned their separation in advance with large purchases.
