August 25, (THEWILL) – Christine Baumgartner, the estranged wife of American actor, Kevin Costner, has alleged that the actor is withholding his financial records amid their ongoing divorce.
Baumgartner had filed for divorce from the actor a few months ago after 18 years of marriage.
According to legal documents filed in California Superior Court on Monday, Costner was accused of withholding documents in the divorce proceeding.
Baumgartner has been asking for documents detailing her estranged husband’s future endeavours and anticipated income in projects such as his forthcoming film series ‘Horizon’.
Baumgartner, who is a handbag designer, requested the court to order Costner to share the documents requested.
Her legal team said Costner has been stonewalling them in regards to sharing pertinent information with a child support hearing slated for next week, and one in November that will scrutinize the premarital agreement in the case.
This is coming after Baumgartner was awarded $129,755 per month in monthly child support in July.
However, she is feeling under pressure to sign the prenup, which awards her a $1.5 million payout in the event of the marriage ending.
In the legal documents, Baumgartner’s lawyers said that Costner has requested a multi-day evidentiary hearing on Baumgartner’s request for child support, at which time the court will receive evidence regarding Costner’s gross cash flow available for support and anticipated future income.
The attorneys said that the court will need to receive evidence regarding those circumstances to make its determination, but that Baumgartner will be unable to present any evidence that Costner has chosen to withhold from discovery.
Baumgartner initially requested a monthly child support total of $248,000, which Costner said he was opposed to in June.
The actor, who made around $20 million in 2022, said the amount was not feasible as he’s slated to make substantially less since he has stepped away from the series ‘Yellowstone’.
Baumgartner’s legal team cited materials they said depicted Costner’s lawyers resisting a request to turn over the documents detailing his potential earnings with ‘Horizon’; some other materials requested were presented.
However, one of the actor’s lawyers said the request seeks documents that are not relevant given that the parties entered into a prenup that stipulated a limitation on spousal support and provided that all income earned during marriage would be the separate property of the spouse earning the income and providing for no community property.
His lawyer further described some of the requests as burdensome, oppressive and harassing.
Costner’s lawyer told the court on August 18 that the documents requested have no bearing on Christine’s request for child support and her ability to calculate the actor’s gross cash flow available for child support.
Baumgartner has also asked for $9,000 in legal fees she’s racked up amid the specific part of the divorce in which she sought the documents from Costner regarding ‘Horizon’.
