Christine Baumgartner and Kevin Costner. Lionel Hahn/Abaca/INSTARimages
Kevin Costner has accused estranged wife Christine Baumgartner of intentionally prolonging their divorce, according to new court documents obtained by Us Weekly.
“Christine has only thrown roadblock after roadblock up in an unjustified effort to avoid answering this discovery,” Costner, 68, wrote in a Thursday, August 10, filing, which he claims are only meant to further “delay” the process.
Costner is seeking monetary sanctions against Baumgartner, 49, for allegedly failing to respond to his discovery requests. The Yellowstone star claimed in his motion that he served Baumgartner with written discovery requests in May to “elicit her contentions as to the validity” of the prenuptial agreement that they signed upon their 2004 marriage. Costner noted that they were looking for a “very basic discovery” in regard to the “facts, documents and witnesses supporting her contentions” of their divorce battle.
Costner claimed that Baumgartner “steadfastly refused” to reveal her divorce contentions and has alleged that she “cannot admit or deny that she understood” their executed prenup. (She has not yet addressed his recent claims.)
“Christine asserts she cannot admit or deny that she understood the Premarital Agreement because she (and apparently all of her attorneys) do not understand the word ‘understood.’ This is gamesmanship of the worst sort,” the new docs read. “‘Understood’ is not a technical or arcane word. It is not ground for objection that a request is ambiguous, unless it is so ambiguous that the responding party cannot in good faith frame an intelligent reply. The notion that Christine and the multiple seasoned lawyers representing her do not understand the word ‘understood’ and cannot reply to this simple, straightforward [request for admission] is frivolous. Clearly, this vagueness objection was interposed only for the purpose of delay.”
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Us confirmed in May that Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner after 19 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause of their split. The twosome have since been involved in a messy legal battle over finances, residency of their family home and child support. Costner and Baumgartner share three kids: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13. (Costner is also the father of daughters Annie, 39, and Lily, 36, and son Joe, 35, with ex-wife Cindy Silva, and son Liam, 26, with Bridget Rooney.)
Baumgartner alleged one month later in June that Costner was attempting to kick her out of their shared residence and that she needed substantial child support payments to cover their children’s living expenses. Costner, however, claimed that he couldn’t afford her specific child support request because he “will earn substantially less in 2023” after Yellowstone’s fifth and final season wraps. Costner also alleged that most of Baumgartner’s expenses are used for her personal benefit rather than the kids’ necessities.
A judge later ruled that Costner must pay Baumgartner $129,755 per month in child support and ordered her to vacate his residence by the end of July.
Amid all the heated back and forth, Costner also asked the court to seal their upcoming divorce depositions, according to documents filed on Monday, August 7.
“[Kevin] is a public figure. The press and media recently encamped outside of [his] home, making ingress and egress difficult, if not impossible,” his attorneys wrote in the docs, which Us obtained. “If the date and location of the depositions of the parties is made public, the safety of the parties and counsel will be at risk. Ingress to and egress from the building in which the depos[i]tions will occur will become extremely difficult, to the point where law enforcement will likely be needed to clear streets, walkways and insure public safety. The order requested may obviate that need and protect the parties and counsel.”