Kevin Costner and his second wife Christine Baumgartner are divorcing after 18 years of marriage. Rich Fury/VF22/Getty Images for Vanity Fair
- According to Entertainment Tonight, Kevin Costner’s estranged wife owes her divorce lawyers over $300,000.
- In court documents obtained by ET, Baumgartner said she demanded $855,000 from him to cover legal fees.
- Last week, Costner’s lawyers called the request “nothing short of outrageous.”
Kevin Costner’s estranged wife Christine Baumgartner said she owes her divorce lawyers over $300,000, Entertainment Tonight reports, citing new court documents filed last week.
Costner’s lawyers responded last week to Baumgartner’s demand that the “Yellowstone” star pay her a reported $885,000 in legal fees, calling the bill “downright outrageous.” Costner’s attorney, Parima Pandkhou, also pointed out that the 68-year-old actor paid Baumgartner over $300,000 in legal fees back in July.
In documents filed Thursday and obtained by Entertainment Tonight, Baumgartner’s lawyers said she was asking for $855,000 – not $885,000 – and that her demand for more money was because the handbag designer gave her lawyers $314,113 $ owed “for prior fees and costs.”
“They falsely claim that the $855,000 Christine is seeking is ‘for the sole purpose of preparing for the split trial in November/December,’ when in fact only a portion of the fees requested are for that purpose,” the documents say according to ET report.
The remaining $541,887 will be used for future costs in the divorce case, according to documents cited by ET.
Baumgartner’s lawyers also accused Costner of overspending in her divorce proceedings and said her filing would level the playing field.
Kevin Costner, Christine Baumgartner and their three children, in 2019. Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
“Kevin’s attorneys are not providing updated information about the fees and costs Kevin incurred in this case. Although Kevin claimed in his deposition that he had no idea how much he was spending, we learned from documents that he had incurred $644,000 in fees and costs as of the end of July,” the documents read, according to ET. “He spent more than Christine 2:1, even though she’s the ‘out wife’.”
Baumgartner’s lawyers estimate that Costner has spent over $850,000 in legal fees so far, including on a recent child support hearing that took place between late August and early September, ET reports.
The documents added: “The Family Law Act requires that litigation regarding attorneys’ fees and costs must be conducted on a level playing field…If there is to be any semblance of a level playing field in this case, Kevin should be convicted by the court, Christine’s previous and future fees must be paid in a flat rate by September 21, 2023 at the latest.”
In response to demands for more money last week, the actor’s lawyers argued that he spent more on legal fees than Baumgartner during the trial because of his estranged wife.
“The amount incurred by Kevin cannot be the measure of how much fees should be awarded to Christine,” Costner’s attorney wrote. “This is because Kevin was forced to pay significant legal fees as a result of Christine’s uncooperative behavior.”
Representatives for Costner and Baumgartner did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment.
Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner in May after 18 years of marriage.
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