Yellowstone’ actor Kevin Costner and estranged wife Christine Baumgartner are locked in a legal battle over child support as they work out their divorce
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Kevin Costner’s legal team accused his estranged wife of a “relentless ‘jihad'” against the actor’s character as she petitions for an increase in the monthly child support payment.
Christine Baumgartner formally requested a judge set a new monthly child custody order Thursday in her continued divorce bid from the “Yellowstone” actor. Meanwhile, Costner’s lawyer called out Baumgartner for creating “animosity” between the parties ahead of a “wholly unnecessary” court proceeding.
“Christine’s relentless ‘jihad’ against Kevin’s character adds a level of animosity to this proceeding that is wholly unnecessary, and meant to distract from the intellectual exercise at hand,” Costner’s legal team wrote in new documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
In opening statements Thursday, Baumgartner’s lawyer John Rydell noted that the purse designer is asking for $161,592 in monthly child support and that Costner is a major movie star who can afford to pay. Rydell estimated that even if Costner were to start paying the increased amount, the “Yellowstone” star would still make roughly $731,000 per month after taxes. Her legal team insisted that California law should be upheld.
While on the witness stand, Baumgartner began to cry as her lawyer argued that she would not be able to find a rental home with comparable value of the former couple’s vacation homes — including the Aspen home, which has sentimental value to Baumgartner.
Costner’s legal team also accused Baumgartner of receiving $20,000 from a “boyfriend” in the new court documents. However, Baumgartner revealed she had received the $20,000 from Joshua Connor in court Thursday.
On the stand, Baumgartner said Connor is a longtime friend of “7 or 8 years.” When Rydell asked, “Is he your boyfriend?” Baumgartner replied, “No.”
She recalled traveling to Hawaii in March with Connor and his daughter, and a group of friends. Costner didn’t go because “he wanted do do a speech with a hunting club.” The Costner’s paid for the vacation home where the families stayed.
In July, Baumgartner traveled back to Hawaii with a group of friends and their children, including Connor and his daughter, who is “best friends” with Grace Costner, 13. Baumgartner said Connor “paid for the house.”
When Rydell asked about claims Connor “gave Christine money,” she said, “I can’t remember if it was before or after (the March or July trips to Hawaii.)” She continued, “He gave me $20,000.”
Of the $20,000, the purse designer said, “I gave $10,000 to my mother.” She then became emotional on the stand. “She was concerned about her house,” Baumgartner noted.
Baumgartner, 49, was awarded $129,755 in monthly support for their three children during a July hearing after initially requesting $248,000 per month. Costner, 68, had offered $51,000.
She requested $175,057 in the new support order, retroactive to July 1, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Christine filed for divorce from the “Fields of Dreams” star in May after 18 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
In her request for the updated child support, her lawyers argued that Costner was “a man of extraordinary wealth.”
“Unlike many family law litigants, Kevin can pay guideline child support, as well as make a further contribution to Christine’s fees, without it making any meaningful difference in his life,” docs stated.
Costner’s legal team fired back days later and accused Baumgartner of “gameplaying.” They also requested a court order Baumgartner pay $14,237.50 in his attorneys’ fees for having to file the motion to compel her new request.
“Petitioner Christine Costner has been given every opportunity and nearly three months to answer the straightforward discovery requests at issue. She persists in her refusal to do so,” documents stated.
“The Court ‘shall’ award monetary sanctions against a party who, like Christine, has acted ‘without substantial justification.’ Silly rhetoric, like calling this motion to compel ‘a press release masquerading as a pleading,’ just reinforces the gameplaying.”
Costner’s legal team argued that the monetary sanctions would “be a deterrent to any discovery abuse on Christine’s part in the future.”