Kevin Costner and Christine Costner lay down their metaphorical weapons. After more than (very controversial) four months, Yahoo Entertainment can confirm that the estranged couple has settled their divorce.
“Kevin and Christine Costner have reached an amicable and mutually agreed upon resolution to all issues relating to their divorce proceedings,” said a representative on behalf of both Kevin and Christine.
Details of the agreement have not been made public. While it may seem like a surprising turn of events, Yahoo’s legal experts previously suggested that it would be in Christine’s best interest to get a new strategy after a string of losses in court.
Christine, 49, has filed for divorce from the former Yellowstone star on May 1. She listed the date of separation as April 11. In a statement at the time, Kevin made it clear that it was not his decision to end the 18-year marriage.
“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control occurred that resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage,” a rep for the Oscar-winning actor, 68, told Yahoo . “We ask that his, Christine and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”
However, not much remained private. Almost immediately, the mudslinging began in court documents made public. Christine, a former handbag designer, accused Kevin of evicting her and their three children: sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, plus daughter Grace, 13. She claimed he told them about the divorce via FaceTime. He accused her of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on plastic surgery.
Famed divorce attorney Chris Melcher weighs in on the somewhat surprising news of the settlement.
“It is unfortunate that, after months of bitter and embarrassing litigation, the parties were not able to reach a settlement sooner. Like many of these cases, it could have been avoided if both parties had been realistic,” he told Yahoo on Tuesday. “Christine took an aggressive stance from the start, refusing to leave the family home as she agreed in the premarital agreement in the event of a divorce, and demanding extravagant amounts of child support.”
Christine sought $161,592 in monthly child support. After a two-day hearing in September, she suffered a major blow in court when the judge sided with Kevin and said $63,209 a month is fair.
“The parties were married for 20 years, have children together and lived a lavish lifestyle, so there was no question that child support would be high. But Christine kept asking for more and the demands were eye-watering,” Melcher explains. ‘It gave the appearance that she was seeking child support more for herself than what the children really needed. Kevin had offered her more than the $63,000 per month the court ordered after a hearing. Clearly, Christine made a miscalculation when she turned down the offer. and asked for more than double that amount.”
In July, Christine suffered her first court defeat when a judge ordered her to leave the family compound near Santa Barbara, California. When Christine signed a prenup prior to her wedding in 2004, she agreed that if she ever filed for divorce, she would vacate the property within 30 days. In his ruling, the judge cited the premarital agreement, showing that he considered the document valid.
Christine planned to challenge the prenuptial agreement, but it was unclear whether she intended to challenge the entire case or just the spousal support limitation. According to the signed document, she is entitled to a $1.4 million settlement. Her attorney fees have nearly surpassed that number. If she were to contest the prenup and lose, she would have to pay both her and Kevin’s legal fees.
Melcher believes Christine “had a legitimate problem” regarding the one-time spousal support she agreed to nearly two decades ago.
“That is, of course, more than most will ever receive in alimony, but it is a fraction of what she would have been awarded for life if the agreement had been made. [not] signed. California law allows a party to challenge a waiver or limitation of spousal support in a premarital situation if the provision is unconscionable at the time of trial,” Melcher explains. Child support ends, so she contested the prenuptial agreement. A trial was scheduled for November, but the parties agreed on a different amount. This will save the parties and their children from further litigation.”
Two weeks ago, Kevin broke his silence about the divorce. He told me after the court Access to Hollywood he “still has love” for Christine and that “everyone” hopes things will be resolved soon.
“This is a terrible place to be, but this is where we are,” he said. “It feels so bad, we’re talking about someone I love on the other side.”
