Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner were in court on Thursday for a hearing in their ongoing messy divorce. Christine is trying to nullify the prenup, but that part of the divorce wasn’t part of Thursday’s hearing. It appears that the agenda this week was all about child support. As a temporary measure, the court already ruled that Kevin owes roughly $129K a month in child support, but Christine says she needs a lot more. The numbers back her up, and California (like most jurisdictions) generally calculates the child support figure in a pretty cut-and-dry way. Except in cases where a financially abusive a–hole wants to make a big show of punishing his ex. I’m sure Kevin’s team is behind this TMZ briefing, but it doesn’t make him look good.

Kevin Costner has come out swinging in his divorce from Christine Baumgartner, claiming she has become so unreasonable she has engaged in a “relentless jihad” against him … and he threw in that her “boyfriend” gave her thousands in cash.

Costner is in court right now, along with Christine, fighting it out over how much child support he must pay her. The actor claims Christine is bubbling over with animosity, accusing him of being a cheapskate when in fact he has shelled out way more than a million dollars since she filed for divorce.

The most interesting nugget in the docs … Kevin says Christine has been deceptive in terms of how much money she has, referencing $20,000 “her boyfriend recently gave her.” The docs don’t identify the boyfriend, but sources familiar with the case say Kevin believes the man is Josh Connor, one of Kevin’s good friends who recently took a trip to Hawaii with Christine. Sources connected to both Christine and Josh have denied the 2 are in a romantic relationship.

Kevin claims Christine has secretly taken $105,000 from him to pay her lawyers. He’s also re-alleged she has padded her child support bills by including hundreds of thousands of dollars for her plastic surgery, private trainers and “unallocated credit card expenses” which were for her, not their kids. In fact, Kevin claims her plastic surgery bills alone total $188,500 a year.

Costner says Christine — who originally asked for $248,000 a month in child support — has padded the bill simply because Kevin can afford it, and it has no relationship to their kids’ needs. Kevin has claimed the actual amount she needs is around $63,000 a month.

Costner, who says Christine has been engaged in “baseless character attacks” on him, says she’s more than capable of getting a job, saying, “She has no plans to seek employment or engage in any income-generating activity.” He accuses his 49-year-old estranged wife of demanding enough child support so she doesn’t have to work again.

[From TMZ]

Kevin’s references are about Christine taking out cash advances to pay her lawyers (and charging the forensic accountant to his credit card) and borrowing money from a mutual friend (“her boyfriend”). Like… does Kevin think this is a good look? To argue – in a hearing about child support!! – that Christine had to borrow money from a friend? That she’s engaging in a “relentless jihad” by asking the court to make Costner pay child support? Meanwhile, Christine testified at the hearing too, and her lawyer updated her child support request – she’s now asking for $161,592 per month, per a forensic accountant’s updated assessment. Costner’s counter was that he only owes $60K a month in child support. From People:

During Thursday’s hearing, [Baumgartner’s lawyer] Rydell said that living a luxurious life is “in their DNA at this point,” referring to the kids, and listed all the sports they are involved in and houses the family owns. Christine also flipped through evidentiary photos and choked up while telling the court, “It’s so much more than this — it’s an experience.”

“We’ve created quite a community,” she added, repeatedly referring to every part of the Santa Barbara compound she has vacated as “ours.” The home, it was stated in court, includes a volleyball court, a garden, an infinity pool and two guest houses. Referring to the home’s “surf garage,” which also holds crafts, the mother of three said, “We create whatever we can dream up in here.”

Christine added that their children are “very connected to the ocean — it’s their home,” and noted the surf garage is 50 steps from “toes in the water.”

The court document obtained by PEOPLE ahead of the hearing further stated, “Christine brings this request in order to uphold these Family Law principles and to assure that the parties’ three minor children will continue to have the benefit of the lifestyle that has been made possible by Kevin’s substantial earnings and wealth.”

Additionally, per those legal documents, Costner’s “various accounts and entities had a total of $17,293,117 in cash equivalents as of June 30, 2023, giving him ample funds to pay his support and also to pay the attorneys’ fees and costs for both parties.” According to those court documents, “$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.”

[From People]

I mean, I think this comes across as out-of-touch and no one needs a surf garage, but I’m on her side and so is California family law. The judge must factor the “comparable lifestyle” for those kids when they’re with each parent.

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Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Christine Baumgartner, Kevin Costner at arrivals for HIDDEN FIGURES Screening, The School of Visual Arts (SVA) Theatre, New York, NY December 10, 2016.,Image: 512870046, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dennis Van Tine / Avalon 132472, Kevin Costner, Christine Baumgartner attends the premiere of ‘McFarland USA’ in Los Angeles on Monday, February 9th, 2015.,Image: 531254209, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: PacificCoastNews / Avalon “The Art of Racing in the Rain” World Premiere at the El Capitan Theater on August 1, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA Featuring: Grace Avery Costner, Kevin Costner, Cayden Wyatt Costner, Christine Baumgartner, Hayes Logan Costner Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 02 Aug 2019 **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR SPAIN & USA**,Image: 536804849, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: USA and SPAIN DIRECT SALES ONLY – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: WENN / Wenn / Avalon
Actor Kevin Costner and wife Christine Baumgartner arrive at the Los Angeles Premiere Of 20th Century Fox’s ‘The Art Of Racing In The Rain’ held at the El Capitan Theatre on August 1, 2019 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 536804997, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289 – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / Image Press Agency / Avalon LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 01: Kevin Costner and family attend the Premiere Of 20th Century Fox’s “The Art Of Racing In The Rain” at El Capitan Theatre on August 01, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 536807501, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com, Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Sutter/PacificCoastNews / Avalon Kevin Costner attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673570677, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Kevin Costner, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon
94th Academy Awards (Oscars) – Red Carpet Arrivals Featuring: Christine Baumgartner, Kevin Costner Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 27 Mar 2022 Credit: Abby Grant/Cover Images Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Featuring: Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 27 Mar 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages/Cover Images **ONLY AVAILABLE FOR NORTH AMERICA** Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Featuring: Kevin Costner, Christine Baumgartner Where: Beverly Hills, California, United States When: 27 Mar 2022 Credit: Abby Grant/Cover Images

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