Judge Found Kevin Costner’s Ex ‘Credible’ but Felt Larger Child Support Would Be ‘Disguised Spousal Support’

The judge who sided with Kevin Costner in his child support case with estranged wife Christine describes how he reached his decision.

During a two-day hearing in Santa Barbara last week, both Kevin, 68, and Christine, 49, testified, sometimes becoming emotional, as they talked about raising their children and the next steps when they go their separate ways.

On Friday, the alimony ruling was announced: Kevin will pay Christine $63,209 a month, not the $161,592 she requested. Kevin and Christine, who married in 2004, share three teenagers: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.

Judge Thomas P. Anderle, in a court filing obtained by PEOPLE on Tuesday, recounted the proceedings and explained that he found Christine “credible” in her testimony Thursday, with “good courtroom demeanor.”

However, although the judge “did not perceive that there was an intention on the part of [Christine] to mislead the Court,” her testimony “was not very helpful in relation to the issue before the court today; will weigh her testimony against all the evidence in this case.”

Of Kevin, Anderle wrote that he “recognizes that he is a professional actor” and “weighed that into his decision-making process when evaluating his credibility.”

Kevin Costner and ex discuss next steps amid divorce: She’s ‘going into the workforce,’ he wants ‘me time’

Kevin Costner. Richard Bord/Getty

The judge “did not find that he embellished his testimony by relying on his profession; his testimony was plain; there was no ‘acting’; he found his testimony to be credible and consistent.”

Anderle added that “both sides gave strong closing arguments.”

As for the judgment, Anderle said the “reasonable needs of the children are fully met by this child support order” and that anything “in excess of $63,209 per month” would be “disguised spousal support.”

He added: “Christine will have an opportunity to convince the court that she is entitled to spousal support. That is not the subject of this hearing.”

As Christine testified Thursday before the sentencing, she said the reduction in financial status would affect their children. After moving out of their family home to comply with the court order, Christine said she is now under a $40,000-a-month rent because she is “conservative … because I wasn’t sure what I was going to get and what the outcome of this case was going to be.” it will be.”

As for the amount of child support she was seeking, Christine said she wanted to allow the children a similar lifestyle when they were with her. That expense is “our way of life, that’s how we lived,” she said.

Kevin and Christine Costner with their children in 2019. Albert L. Ortega/Getty

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Christine added that she will “consider the steps I need to take and the education I need to do, and I will get a job” to support myself, mentioning education as a potential career of interest.

Meanwhile, Kevin said in his testimony Friday, “My biggest concern is that the court is ordering me to pay child support that goes beyond my children’s needs and Christina’s needs.”

In a court filing last week just before his personal appearance in court, Kevin’s attorneys said that Christine “claims that Kevin ‘persistently refuses’ to pay child support sufficient to meet the reasonable needs of the children. This is patently false and intentionally inflammatory. The parties simply differ on what ‘reasonable needs’ means in the context of child support.”

The exes will appear in court again later this fall to determine the validity of their prenuptial agreement.

Christine and Kevin Costner.

Lester Cohen/Getty

Kevin Costner says he ‘of course’ loves estranged wife Christine after child support ruling

During a hearing on the order this week on Wednesday, Christine’s attorney John Rydell said the outcome of that separate ruling could still go in a different direction than the child support decision.

“The other side seems to think this case is over,” Rydell said, adding to the judge, “I’ve had 24 years of experience with you as a colleague. … You never decide things without evidence.”

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Source: HIS Education