Kevin Costner's Lawyer Slams Ex-Wife's 'Outrageous' $885K Legal Fee Demand

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Kevin Costner's esteemed Hollywood attorney, Laura Wasser, has vehemently criticized the audacious demand made by his ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner, who is seeking a staggering $885,000 to cover her legal expenses. At 49 years old, Baumgartner, who recently faced a $14,000 sanction, has filed a request with a judge, imploring her 68-year-old former spouse to assume the substantial cost of $885,000.

This exorbitant sum is purportedly intended to fund her legal representation in a singular issue within their ongoing divorce proceedings: the enforceability of her spousal support waiver, as reported by TMZ. Wasser has described this request as "nothing short of outrageous." Wasser underscores the incredulity of this demand by pointing out that, based on hourly billing rates, Baumgartner's legal team would have to amass a staggering 1,106 billable hours to justify such a substantial fee.

What further complicates matters is that, according to Wasser, a judge has previously affirmed the validity of the prenuptial agreement.

Legal Battles and Financial Burdens

In early July, a judge enforced one provision of the prenup, mandating that in the event of a divorce, Baumgartner was required to vacate the family residence within a specified timeframe.

Baumgartner contested this ruling, asserting that moving was a substantial undertaking necessitating careful planning. Nevertheless, the judge upheld the provision, compelling her to vacate the shared home by July 31. This ruling could potentially foreshadow the enforceability of the entire prenup, which would constitute another significant setback for Baumgartner.

Wasser also revealed that Costner had already contributed $300,000 toward Baumgartner's legal fees, in addition to the alleged withdrawal of over $105,000 from his accounts for her legal team. Baumgartner's legal battles appear to have come at a great personal cost, given that she stands to receive less than she initially sought.

Initially, she requested an exorbitant $248,000 per month in child support for their three children: Cayden Wyatt, 15; Hayes Logan, 14; and Grace Avery, 13. Costner and his legal team rejected this amount, advocating for a monthly sum of $63,000.

Costner later offered to pay $75,000 monthly, which Baumgartner declined, leading to a judicial determination that $63,000 per month was the appropriate figure. Despite the legal turmoil, Costner has maintained a public presence and was recently spotted in a luxury suite at SoFi Stadium during Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" stop.

Accompanied by his 13-year-old daughter, Grace, and a friend, the Oscar-winning actor and director was seen enjoying Swift's music, particularly her 2012 hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Costner sported a wry smile as he shared this bonding moment with his daughter.