Kevin Costner scores victory in latest divorce dispute
Kevin Costner's estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, has been banned by a judge from taking furniture and furnishings from their family home without the actor's permission
Kevin Costner's estranged wife has been banned from taking furniture and furnishings from their family home without the actor's permission.
The 'Bodyguard' actor split from Christine Baumgartner in May and they have been locked in a bitter dispute ever since, with the latest development in their divorce seeing the 68-year-old star lodge a complaint alleging the 49-year-old handbag designer had taken his property "without knowledge or consent".
And in response, TMZ reports a judge issued a ruling on Friday (14.07.23) in which he granted Christine permission to remove all her clothing, toiletries, handbags and jewelleries when she leaves their beach compound at the end of the month, but she can't take anything else without coming to an agreement with Kevin.
Among the things stipulated she can't take without permission are furniture, artwork, appliances, furnishings, or any items in their storage unit.
The 'Dances with Wolves' actor is said to be determined to honour the prenuptial agreement they both signed before tying the knot in 2004 and he is frustrated his estranged wife and her legal team are repeatedly challenging the document.
In his complaint, the 'Yellowstone' star claimed Christine bought personal items and took out cash with credit cards from the staff that runs the family house, and that he believes she devised this plan before she filed for divorce in May.
He said in the papers Christine has allegedly “shown a disturbing propensity in the last several months, both before and after separation, to take (Kevin’s) property without his knowledge or consent, especially since this case was filed.”
The documents, which were filed on Thursday (13.07.23) also alleged Christine paid a Los Angeles criminal defence lawyer $25,000 from her husband’s property funds without his knowledge and that she bought an expensive vehicle months before they separated.
Christine has been ordered to vacate their $145 million mansion complex in Santa Barbara, California, by the end of the month after a judge reinforced the terms of the prenup, which stated she would leave their marital estate within 30 days in the event of a separation.
The former couple, who both requested joint custody of their three kids, Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13, have been arguing over child support payments and this week the actor was ordered to hand over $129,755 per month, as well as $200,000 in attorney’s fees and $100,000 in forensic accountancy costs.
The pair will also be required to pay 50 per cent of their kids’ health care expenses, sports and extracurricular activities, according to the court papers.
