The divorce battle between “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner and his ex Christine Baumgartner, to whom he was married for 18 years before they split in May, has just escalated again, with a judge rejecting her demand for more child support.
Kevin Costner’s estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, has moved into a $40,000-a-month Montecito rental home with four bedrooms, pool and jacuzzi — but says it’s not good enough for her family pic.twitter.com/oQ8mtZkwv4
— News News News (@NewsNew97351204) September 4, 2023
Judge shuts down Baumgartner
Earlier this month, Judge Thomas Anderle ruled in Costner’s favor when he reduced his monthly child support payments from $129,755 to $63,209. This was a brutal defeat for Baumgartner, who had asked for the payments to be increased to $161,592 per month, but the judge went so far as to accuse her of trying to obtain “disguised spousal support.”
“Support in excess of $63,209 per month is disguised spousal support,” Anderle wrote in court documents obtained by Fox News. “Christine will have the opportunity to convince the court that she is entitled to spousal support.”
Costner and Baumgartner are the parents of three teenage children, ages 13 to 16.
Kevin Costner wins ugly child support battle with estranged wife Christine Baumgartner: Judge gives woman $63,000 for their three children. Half of what she asked for! pic.twitter.com/BQBS7DH8dN
— ᴼᴹᴳ ᶥᵗˢ Adàeze (@nubianbarbieee) September 2, 2023
Anderle found the 68-year-old Costner “credible” when he took the stand to testify at a recent two-day child support hearing. [Costner] all his testimonies embellished by relying on his profession; his testimony was clear; there was ‘no acting’; found his testimony credible and consistent.”
The judge also found Baumgartner, 49, “credible” during her testimony, adding that he did not “see that there was any intent with [Baumgartner] to mislead the Court.” However, he made a point of saying that her testimony was “not much help” when it came specifically to the issue of child support.
The next time you complain about the cost of living, spare a thought for Christine Baumgartner, after a judge reduced her child support to $63,000 a month – less than half the $129,000 she currently gets and significantly less than the $161,000 she wild. Kevin Costner… pic.twitter.com/WgQfz5B6s0
— Edward White (@Editorialz) September 2, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner accuses ex of ‘relentless jihad’ – she breaks down in court
Famous lawyer weighs in
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Famed attorney Brett Ward, who is not involved in the case, believes Baumgartner made a “mistake” by demanding such a large amount.
“I would never have challenged the $129,000 per month award and said it was insufficient,” said Ward, partner and co-chair of the Matrimonial & Family Law Practice in Blank Rome. “That’s more than. . . the vast majority of people earn in a year. And she got it within a month. And to go to court and say that that was insufficient for a lifestyle, I think was a mistake.“
Ward went on to say he believes Judge Anderle’s ruling was a “warning sign” for Baumgartner as she prepares to challenge the validity of the premarital agreement in court in November.
“Probably it won’t have too much of an impact, but for me it was certainly a warning sign that greed is not going to prevail here, that we are going to apply some reason to this process,” he said. “And I think she left the court weakened, and I would think twice about going too far with the arguments related to the prenuptial agreement.”“
After the judge ruled in his favor, Costner said there are no winners in this divorce battle.
“You know, when you have that kind of longevity with someone, there’s no winner. . . and it’s that big, crazy thing called ‘life’ and how it unravels so quickly,” he said. “One minute you feel like you’re on top of the world, and then you realize how, you know, how vulnerable you are.”
“She’s a great mother,” he continued. “We’ll find out, and we’ll share it. We have to recover a bit now.”
It’s day two of the custody battle between Kevin Costner and his ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner. The ex-couple is fighting over Baumgartner’s request for increased child support for their three children. pic.twitter.com/ijrjRS7XQs
— Inside Edition (@InsideEdition) September 1, 2023
Related: Kevin Costner gets more bad news as bitter divorce battle continues
Baumgartner Files for Divorce – ‘Yellowstone’ Ends
Costner was reportedly blindsided when Baumgartner filed for divorce on May 1.
“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have occurred that have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in an action for dissolution of marriage,” Costner’s rep told People Magazine at the time. “We ask that his, Christine and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”
Days later, Daily Mail reported that the end of “Yellowstone” was announced by Chris McCarthy, president and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, who also revealed that a sequel series starring Matthew McConaughey will replace the film.
“’Yellowstone’ has been the cornerstone on which we launched an entire universe of global hits – from ‘1883’ to ‘Tulsa King’, and I’m confident our sequel will be another smash hit, thanks to Taylor’s brilliant creative mind Sheridan [the show’s creator] and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life,” said McCarthy.
‘YELLOWSTONE’ officially ends with Season 5.
A sequel series will premiere in December, with Matthew McConaughey in talks to star. pic.twitter.com/Ie2iKpawId
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 5, 2023
This is clearly a very difficult time for Costner and his family. We can only hope that this separation will be more amicable in the coming months.
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