Kevin Costner’s lawyer skewered Christine Baumgartner’s request for the actor to pay his estranged wife an alleged $885,000 in legal fees.
After Baumgartner’s legal team claimed she will be charged the staggering sum to argue her case against the former couple’s prenuptial agreement, Costner’s high-powered attorney Laura Wasser argued in a new filing that the fee in question would be absurd, according to TMZ.
Wasser reportedly argued that, based on hourly rates, Baumgartner’s legal team would have to put in 1,106 hours of billable work hours to justify charging her that amount.
The legal eagle dubbed Baumgartner’s request for Costner to cover her steep legal bill as “nothing short of outrageous,” noting that the judge already deemed their prenup enforceable.
Wasser also alleged that Baumgartner has no leg to stand on and should just throw in the towel.
Baumgartner, 49, hasn’t had any victories in her nasty divorce battle against the “Yellowstone” star.
In May, she filed for divorce from Costner after 18 years of marriage and asked for joint custody of their three kids: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.
Costner, 68, was reportedly “blindsided” as he was allegedly planning on filing for divorce first.
A source told The Sun in June that the handbag designer “sneak attack[ed] him and serve[d] him with her own set of divorce papers,” and that Costner was “so shocked.”
While Baumgartner may have attempted to come out on top amid the divorce, it’s actually Costner who has triumphed amid the breakup.
Earlier this month, a judge accepted Costner’s request to pay Baumgartner $63,209 per month in child support after Baumgartner had requested to receive nearly double.
She had brashly argued that a luxurious lifestyle “is in their [kids’] DNA at this point” and that both parents should be able to provide their kids with all of the lavishness “comparable” to Costner’s $145 million home and “luxury vacations” chartered on private planes.
Costner quickly hit back, accusing Baumgartner of wanting more money to fund her own plastic surgery. He also claimed in court docs that Baumgartner should be sitting pretty after she allegedly received $20,000 in cash from a new boyfriend.
Baumgartner claimed that the Oscar winner was “withholding” evidence of his finances and alleged that his net worth had quadrupled to $400 million throughout their marriage.
In another victory for Costner, Baumgartner was ordered to cover the cost of her ex’s $14,237.50 in legal fees.
Baumgartner, who moved into a $40,000-a-month rental home in Montecito, Calif., after losing her child support battle, promised to “enter the workforce” while discussing future co-parenting plans with Costner in a courtroom.
Meanwhile, Costner shared his plans to “spend more time with the children” and take more time for himself.
