Kevin Costner, Christine Baumgartner Headed Back To Court To Officially End Divorce After Settlement

Kevin Costner and his estranged wife, Christine Baumgartner, still have some unfinished business with regard to the dissolution of their marriage.

The two, who have been married for 18 years, split in May and have been at loggerheads over what Baumgartner wants as her settlement.

The former couple finally reached a settlement but returned to court on Wednesday for a session that was previously scheduled. It is unclear what the settlement contains. However, reports have it that Baumgartner will receive a larger sum than what was contained in the prenuptial agreement.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Costner and his soon-to-be ex-wife will appear in court on Wednesday for their ongoing divorce proceedings. The court session was set to determine whether Baumgartner, aged 49, would receive $855,000 to cover legal expenses.

However, the situation took a turn when the couple reached an "amicable" settlement just a day before the court date. Now, the purpose of their court meeting may have shifted to a formal arrangement where the judge reviews and potentially approves the settlement terms.

Per TMZ, Baumgartner is now set to receive far more than what was agreed upon in her prenuptial agreement with Costner. She would have been paid an initial lump sum of $1.5 million and a year's worth of mortgage payments for a house maxed out at $1 million if the prenuptial agreement was upheld.

As to why Baumgartner finally settled, a close friend said she did so because she "would risk losing everything."

"Christine didn't really have a choice but to settle because Kevin had all the power. Had she continued fighting, she would risk losing everything," the source said.

The insider shared that while Baumgartner didn't get everything she wished for, she's content because it spares the kids from a difficult court battle. They also mentioned that Baumgartner never really wanted to go through a court process to settle her divorce with Costner.

The whole legal ordeal has been emotionally challenging for Baumgartner, so she's relieved that it's finally finished.

The source added, "It's been a living nightmare, and now she just wants to move on and start fresh and begin making her new house a home."

During the divorce battle, some of the pain points were who would pay for attorney's fees, how much child support Baumgartner should receive, and whether she would get spousal support.

In one of the court sessions, Costner's lawyer, Laura Wasser, argued that her client was willing to find a middle ground, but Baumgartner's demands were "unrealistic and frankly outrageous."

The lawyer also pointed out that they were initially set for a settlement conference, but Baumgartner insisted on a full evidentiary hearing instead.

Wasser said in court, "Christine fails to inform the court that her settlement position through the months of June, July and August was so unrealistic and frankly outrageous, Kevin had no hope she would be more settlement-oriented at the VSC [voluntary settlement conference]."

The high-powered divorce attorney further mentioned that Baumgartner's legal antics had only driven up expenses for both sides.

While the precise date of their separation was not publicly disclosed until May, court records later confirmed that Baumgartner officially recognized April 11 as their date of separation.

In her documents, she stated that the reason for their breakup was "irreconcilable differences" and requested joint custody of their kids, Cayden, Hayes, and Grace.

Meanwhile, Costner issued a response to her filing, also asking for joint custody of their kids and stating that his estranged wife signed a prenup at the start of their marriage.

At the time, a rep for the "Yellowstone" actor released a statement explaining that Costner and Baumgartner were splitting after being married for 18 years.

"It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action," the statement read, per Daily Mail.

"We ask that his, Christine's and their children's privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time."