In a recent Santa Barbara court appearance, a judge tentatively ruled that Kevin Costner will pay his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, $129,755 per month in child support. This decision follows Baumgartner's initial request for $248,000 and Costner's counteroffer of $51,940. The final amount will be determined after an evidentiary hearing.
Baumgartner, accompanied by her legal team, attended the hearing while Costner, currently on vacation with his children, was represented by his lawyers, including Laura Wasser. Judge Thomas Anderle also mandated that both parties share equally in their children's healthcare, sports, and extracurricular activity expenses.
A key point of contention is the couple's pre-marital agreement (PMA). Baumgartner's lawyers sought to combine the upcoming November trial dates concerning the PMA with the child support arguments. However, Costner's team argued against this, stating the two matters are unrelated. Due to scheduling conflicts, Judge Anderle could not immediately accommodate the request but promised to explore options.
In addition to child support, Costner is also responsible for $200,000 in attorney's fees and $100,000 in forensic costs. These payments are due on the first of each month, with adjustments for any sums paid between July 1 and July 12. Baumgartner initially filed for divorce in May, citing irreconcilable differences, and both parties are seeking joint custody of their three children.
Costner has also requested that Baumgartner reimburse him nearly $100,000 in legal fees related to enforcing the pre-marital agreement's clause requiring her to vacate his separate property residence. Detailed invoices, some portions redacted, were included in the court filings. A hearing on this matter is scheduled for August 2.
