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| Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner during happier times at the Academy Awards on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. - Getty |
Christine Baumgartner and actor Kevin Costner, new court documents have shed light on the financial strain Christine is facing due to mounting legal bills. The estranged wife recently revealed that she owes a substantial $314,113 (5,958,195 South African Rand) in unpaid legal fees related to their divorce case.
Christine Baumgartner made this revelation in court documents, where she also explained her earlier request for $855,000 (16,216,350 South African Rand) from Kevin Costner to cover her attorney's fees. If granted this sum, she intends to allocate the remaining $541,887 (10,258,155 South African Rand) toward her future legal expenses as the divorce proceedings continue.
In the same set of court documents, filed in Santa Barbara Court on Thursday, Christine accuses Kevin Costner of resorting to insults and inflammatory language while ignoring the Family Code's mandate that litigation should be conducted fairly in terms of attorney's fees and costs.
Furthermore, Baumgartner points out that Kevin's lawyers have not provided updated information about the fees and costs he has incurred throughout the case. She alleges that, according to documents, Kevin has spent a considerable $644,000 (12,208,460 South African Rand) in fees and costs up to the end of July, effectively outspending her two to one despite being the "out spouse."
Christine's legal team estimates that Kevin's total fees and costs up to the end of the child support hearing exceeded $850,000 (16,111,450 South African Rand). However, Kevin has not disclosed any information regarding his expenses since August 1st or the budget for the upcoming trial.
In her court documents, Baumgartner asserts that for a fair legal process, the court should order Kevin to pay both her past and future fees in a lump sum no later than September 21, 2023.
Kevin Costner had previously criticized Christine's request for $855,000 as "outrageous" and lacking evidence to support the necessity of over 1,106 hours of attorney time at $800 per hour for the upcoming trial. Baumgartner has since clarified that the entire $855,000 will not be allocated solely to the trial.
As this high-profile divorce case unfolds, the financial complexities and legal battles between the estranged couple continue to capture public attention. Stay tuned for further developments on HMR News Updates.
By Miguel A. Melendez Read the full article on ETOnline.com
