Kevin Costner’s estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, is being asked to move out of his Santa Barbara compound by the end of July. The ex-couple is currently engaged in a legal battle over which items Baumgartner can start moving out of the property. One of the items she won’t be able to take with her for now is her Peloton exercise bike, as ruled by a judge.
The ongoing divorce proceedings have led to a contentious split between Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner. A judge in Santa Barbara has ordered Baumgartner to vacate Costner’s $145 million three-house private beachfront property by the end of July, adding further tension to the situation.
New court documents filed on Friday reveal that the Santa Barbara judge has limited Baumgartner’s ability to move out of the actor’s home to toiletries, clothing, handbags, and jewelry for the time being. Baumgartner’s legal team had previously shared a list of items with Costner’s team that she wished to retrieve from the house before her move-out date. This list reportedly included her Peloton exercise bike and her mother’s dresser. However, the judge ruled that these items were to remain in the house.
Baumgartner, in a declaration filed on Thursday, stated, “In preparation for my anticipated move from the Beach Club properties, I rented an off-site storage unit, and started packing up my personal belongings, such as my family heirlooms, clothing, my Peloton bike, various keepsakes, and gifts from friends. His apparent fear that I will strip the house bare is completely unfounded.”
Baumgartner filed for divorce from Costner in May, and the divorce has been characterized by animosity between the two parties. One key aspect of the case is a premarital agreement, which Baumgartner is currently challenging. A judge recently ruled that Costner must pay Baumgartner $129,000 in child support until the divorce is finalized.
The recent filings highlight the meticulous nature of the dispute, with the ex-couple arguing over seemingly trivial items like pots and pans. Baumgartner’s attorneys argue that Costner made $19.5 million last year, emphasizing the insignificance of arguing over small household items.
The filings also revealed that Baumgartner desired to take her mother’s dresser, her silverware, pots and pans, as well as an oil painting of horses and a mother-daughter horse picture from Costner’s Aspen home.
Costner’s legal team dismissed Baumgartner’s list of items as “hopelessly vague and ambiguous,” requesting more clarity and time to determine what constitutes her separate property. They also noted that Costner has limited access to WiFi as he has been on vacation with the children, hindering his ability to provide input on the matter. Costner has sought joint custody of the children throughout the divorce proceedings.
As of now, the judge has sided with Costner’s team and ordered the parties to come together and jointly determine which items belong to Baumgartner in the house.
Neither the lawyers for Costner nor Baumgartner have responded to requests for comments on the matter.