A Los Angeles judge has ruled in favor of Kevin Costner over his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, in their dispute regarding child support.
Costner, 68, will now have to pay Baumgartner, 49, $63,209 per month for their three children: sons Cayden, 15, Logan, 14, and daughter Grace, 12, according to Fox News. Baumgartner was temporarily receiving $129,755 before the decision was made.
Baumgartner had previously requested Costner pay her $248,000 a month. Costner argued in response that he could not afford to pay that amount because he “will earn substantially less in 2023” following his departure from Yellowstone. Baumgartner, for her part, previously claimed that the amount was necessary so their kids could maintain the same standard of living with her as they do with their father.
“Because the children fly on private aircraft to go on luxury vacations when they are with their father, the Family Code dictates that Kevin should pay sufficient child support to Christine so that the children can go on comparable vacations when they are with her. This is true even if the child support payments also improve Christine’s lifestyle,” Baumgartner’s lawyers claimed in a brief filed on Wednesday, August 30, ahead of their hearing. “In this case, the guideline child support requested by Christine of $175,057 per month will not be sufficient to replicate Kevin’s lifestyle, but it will be sufficient to allow her to provide a lifestyle for the children which is relatively comparable.”
Costner and Baumgartner faced off in court for a two-day hearing which started on Thursday, August 31, and wrapped up Friday, September 1. Both exes took the stand.
Following Friday’s proceedings, Costner opened up to Access Hollywood about how duking it out in court with Baumgartner was a “horrible place to be.”
“It feels so bad and we’re talking about somebody I love on the other side, I just can’t,” he stated on Friday. When asked if he still had love for Baumgartner, Costner replied, “Of course,” adding that he thinks “everybody” involved wants the intense legal battle to resolve sooner rather than later.
Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner in May after nearly 19 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. Since calling it quits, the pair have been in a messy legal battle not only over child support but contesting the validity of the prenuptial agreement — which will go to trial in November.
