Thursday July 6, 2023 – Christine Baumgartner, the estranged wife of Kevin Costner, has been ordered to leave the home they formerly shared amid their ongoing divorce.
The 49-year-old handbag designer was given until the end of the month to vacate the $145 million mansion that she and the 68-year-old actor and director had previously shared.
The latest development comes after Baumgartner had agreed to leave the family home, but only on her own terms.
She had previously said in court filings that she would leave the estate on August 31, following the results of a court date originally scheduled for July 12.
In the documents, Baumgartner agreed to vacate the premises at the end of August as long as Costner complied ‘with whatever support and fee orders that the court makes on July 12.’
It’s unclear if that hearing is still on the calendar.
TMZ, which reported the development, noted that the ruling may indicate that the judge plans to agree with Costner’s legal team that the couple’s prenuptial agreement is valid and enforceable.
The agreement states that Baumgartner has a month to vacate the premises if either partner files for divorce.
Although she appears to have passed the original deadline, the judge set a new deadline of July 31 for her to be moved out.
Baumgartner’s attorneys reportedly argued in court that that date wasn’t feasible or fair, as she has had neither enough time nor funds to look for a new home.
They asked the judge to extend the date to August 15, though it’s unclear if the latest ruling took that request into consideration.
Costner is being represented by the famous divorce attorney Laura Wasser, who reportedly served as an inspiration for Laura Dern’s lawyer character in Noah Baumbach’s critically acclaimed film Marriage Story, which earned Dern an Academy Award for best supporting actress.
Wasser has defended the validity of the prenuptial agreement in court, and it appears that the judge is inclined to agree with her, although it is not a done deal yet.
A hearing to address the document’s validity won’t happen until November, and Baumgartner is expected to continue challenging it.
The judge may have opted to follow the document’s provisions before considering it more fully at the later date, but the preliminary move to get Costner’s ex out of the house indicates that the judge may agree that the rest of the document is also valid.
TMZ reports that Baumgartner will also be forced to return $1.5 million paid to her by Costner if the judge determines that the prenup is valid, and she will also reportedly be forced to pay his attorneys’ fees for defending the document.
On Wednesday, Baumgartner was seen arriving at court where she was ordered to move out of her home.
Baumgartner previously wrote in court filings that she was hesitant to leave her home without having a plan and funding in place, if only for the sake of her children, whom she doesn’t want to have to move multiple times.
She claimed that ‘Kevin wants me to rent [a] place without [a] financial plan in place. However, [I] have our three children to think about. It is contrary to their best interests to commit to rental that [I] may not be able to afford, particularly as that would ultimately lead to multiple relocations.
‘My goal has been and continues to be maintaining as much stability for our children as possible, which includes having the proper resources and plan in place so that [I] can establish [a] stable home for them, rather than making temporary and inconsistent housing arrangements,’ she continued.
It was previously reported that Baumgartner is seeking $248,000 per month in child support payments. She and Costner share three children: sons Cayden, 15; and Hayes, 14; along with their younger daughter Grace, 13.
However, Costner has said in other filings that he believes he should only pay around $38,000 per month.
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