Kevin Costner's estranged wife, handbag designer Christine Baumgartner, has been mandated to vacate their shared home by the end of July. The 49-year-old has been living in the sprawling $145 million mansion she previously shared with the 68-year-old Oscar-winning star.
The scene was somber in Santa Barbara, California, as Christine attended the first court hearing pertaining to their impending and contentious divorce.
She had previously agreed to leave the family residence on her terms, stating in court documents that she intended to vacate the property on August 31, following an initial court date originally set for July 12. This timeline, however, seems to have been disrupted.
According to TMZ, the recent ruling hints at the judge's inclination to uphold the validity of the couple's prenuptial agreement, as advocated by Kevin’s legal team. The agreement details that upon the filing of divorce by either party, Baumgartner would have a month to leave the premises.
In response to the new deadline of July 31, Christine's legal representatives contended that the timeline and financial considerations for finding a new home were both inadequate and unfair. A request to extend the deadline to August 15 was made, though it is unclear if this plea factored into the latest ruling.
Kevin's legal representation is helmed by celebrated divorce attorney Laura Wasser, who was purportedly the inspiration behind Laura Dern's character in Noah Baumbach's acclaimed film Marriage Story.
Wasser has steadfastly defended the legitimacy of the prenuptial agreement in court. If the agreement is deemed valid, Christine will be required to return $1.5 million paid to her by Kevin and also bear the expenses of his legal fees.
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As this high-profile divorce unfolds, the wellbeing of their children, sons Cayden, 15, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 13, is a key concern for Christine.
She expressed reservations about leaving her home without a solid plan, considering the potential instability for her children.
She said: "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."
With Kevin as the sole breadwinner of the family, Christine declared in her filing that she has no income. According to the prenuptial agreement, Kevin was obligated to provide his estranged wife with funds for relocation, depositing a reported $1 million into her bank account.
However, Christine has not accessed these funds, arguing that doing so could jeopardize her capacity to contest the prenup's legitimacy.
Amid these complex proceedings, Christine insists that she and Kevin can cohabit in the mansion without disruption, owing to the property's spacious and compartmentalized layout.
However, the court filings from Kevin's legal team state that he has acted in good faith and has made every effort to ensure a seamless transition.
Family law attorney Holly Davis of Kirker Davis LLP, who has extensive experience in high-net-worth divorce cases, explained that in spite of a judge's order that Christine must leave the family home by July 31, she may still be able able to get more money than was spelt out in the prenup, especially if the prenup was signed before the children were born, and did not anticipate or include any provision for their needs.
Davis explained to HELLO!: “The judge's order for her to leave the house by July 31 means that her creative argument to stay in the house ran its course. But she will still get a chance to argue for the child support piece and get more money than what was given to her as spousal support under the terms of the premarital agreement.
"Costner had no other choice but to get a court involved since his ex refused to leave. She was incentivized to stay as long as she could and the only way to handle that is to get a court order kicking her out."