Kevin Costner’s estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, has asked the court to deny the actor’s request to help her pay his legal fees amid their ongoing acrimonious divorce.
In court documents obtained by Entertainment tonight on Friday, the Yellowstone actor, 68, had asked his ex, 49, to help pay $100,000 of his legal fees.
However, the designer, who was recently seen vacationing in Hawaii with Costner’s banker boyfriend, responded by asking a judge to deny the star’s request.
She claimed that the Oscar winner would not have collected such substantial fees had he not filed motions to quickly remove her from their $145 million mansion in Santa Barbara.
Earlier this month, according to documents, Kevin was ordered to pay $200,000 in attorney fees and $100,000 in forensic costs. He had asked that Christine pay one-third of the total in fees – amounting to $100,000.
Divorce battle: Kevin Costner’s, 68, estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, 49, has asked the court to deny the actor’s request to help pay his legal fees amid their ongoing acrimonious divorce; seen in March 2022
Baumgartner argued, however, that Costner could have avoided such large fees had he not filed a motion in July asking her to vacate his multimillion-dollar estate by August.
A legal fees hearing is currently scheduled for next month on August 2 in Santa Barbara.
The former couple initially tied the knot in 2004, with Christine filing for divorce on May 1 after 18 years of marriage. She noted that their divorce date was April 11, citing the reason for the split as “irreconcilable differences.”
The divorce filing had left Kevin ‘blindsided’ and the star actually had plans to file for divorce first, sources told The sun last month of June. He had assumed the two would part amicably and follow the steps in their prenuptial agreement.
Since the proceedings began, the divorce has been far from amicable, from Kevin claiming his ex refused to leave the $145 million mansion despite giving her $1.45 million for a new home, to Christine claiming the actor was trying to make her and their children “homeless.”
Earlier on Monday, Christine took the floor and insisted she has no plans to “strip” their Santa Barbara mansion of belongings before they leave the grounds — which she’s been told to do before July 31.
Baumgartner shared in new legal filings that she will show photos in a PDF to Kevin’s lawyers of what she plans to remove from the mansion, according to a report from ET.
And that means there shouldn’t be an “emergency hearing” about what assets are being taken. Christine said a hearing was “not wanted.”
Charges: Earlier this month, Kevin was ordered by documents to pay a whopping $200,000 in attorney fees and $100,000 in forensic costs and asked his ex to pay a third of the total in costs; seen in February
Motions: She claimed that the Oscar winner would not have collected such substantial fees had he not filed motions to quickly remove her from their $145 million mansion in Santa Barbara; former couple seen in 2014
Also in the filing, it was revealed that Baumgartner rented an “off-site” storage unit to house some silverware, some pots and pans, a Peloton bicycle, family heirlooms, clothing and friends’ personal items. There was also a ‘mother/daughter horse photo’ that she wanted to keep.
And it added that Costner “would not be harmed” by Baumgartner in the process of removing her items.
Last week, a judge ruled that she must talk to Kevin before taking over any estate property. She is prohibited from taking art, furniture, furniture or appliances with her without his express permission.
She was also told not to remove any property except her clothes, toiletries, handbags and jewelry from the mansion.
This comes after he accused her of searching the house they had previously shared.
Through his attorney, the Yellowstone star accused his ex of taking his assets “without his knowledge or consent,” which he says has increased significantly.
The star also alleged that Baumgartner made payments to her own divorce attorney through a credit card belonging to one of Costner’s employees, according to documents obtained by TMZ.
The latest squabble between the former couple comes just days after a judge ruled that Costner must pay $129,000 a month in child support, just over half of what Baumgartner had asked for but more than double what the actor and director said he should pay.
Child support: The latest bickering between the former couple comes just days after a judge ruled that Costner must pay $129,000 a month in child support; seen in 2019
In documents, Costner’s legal team wrote that Baumgartner “has shown a disturbing tendency in recent months, both before and after the divorce, to [Kevin’s] property without his knowledge or consent, especially since this case was brought.”
The former couple welcomed three children to their marriage: sons Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13.
One of the more puzzling claims in the documents is that Baumgartner allegedly paid a criminal defense attorney $25,000 from a real estate fund Costner set up.
He claimed he was unaware of the payment and that the money should have been used only for real estate transactions anyway.
‘Blinded’: The divorce filing had left Kevin ‘blinded’ and the star actually had plans to file for divorce first, sources told The Sun last month in June; seen in 2013
In the past: The former couple initially tied the knot in 2004, with Christine filing for divorce on May 1 after 18 years of marriage; seen in 2015
More puzzling, though, is why Baumgartner would want or need a criminal defense attorney in the first place, and the filing doesn’t seem to resolve that question.
The documents allege another improper payment, this time an amount paid to Susan Wiesner, Baumgartner’s divorce attorney. [Kevin].’
They also accuse the designer of getting cash advances on multiple credit cards paid by her ex but issued to domestic workers.
While several of the claims in the filing allegedly came after Baumgartner filed for divorce from the Dances With Wolves star, Costner’s lawyers also appeared to accuse her of pre-planning her split with major purchases.