Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces

Celebrity divorces are no joke. Fans love to read about them and tabloids love to publish about them. In the middle of it all you have big businesses and the lawyers orchestrating the whole mess while the celebrities are left patching together fractured reputations and empty bank accounts. Last year alone saw the breakups of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, and Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. While most divorces may go under the spotlight others stand tall. More importantly, the settlement amounts rewarded are probably some of the most outrageous to be seen in a divorce or family law matter.

Celeblegalissues.com reports on 5 divorce proceedings that broke the bank.

James Cameron and Linda Hamilton

Known for creating two of the highest grossing films ever released into public, James Cameron is also well known for having one of the most expensive divorce settlements ever. Linda Hamilton, whom met James Cameron during the the filming of The Terminator in 1984, filed for divorce in 1999. Linda was Cameron’s 4th wife, only married for 17 months before calling it quits. Reportedly, Hamilton received $50 million in the divorce settlement but she said even before that the damage had been done. Quoted in one interview about the breakup, Hamilton said “He would rather be with his mistress on set than with his wife at home” which leads many to believe that his other 3 marriages ultimately shared the same fate.

Paul McCartney & Heather Mills

Beatle singer/songwriter, Paul McCartney, married Heather Mills in June of 2002 four years after Paul’s first wife passed away from breast cancer. Four years later, the two decided to separate. Mills complained of McCartney being an “old-fart” and one who lacked having social circles other than his roadie. Soon after the separation, accusations of abuse and neglect poured into the public airwaves pushing this as one of the most publicly air divorce proceedings ever. By 2008, the two filed for divorce with a San Francisco family law attorney with a reported settlement in excess of $60 million heading in Mills direction.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

Amidst all the rumors involving Tiger Wood’s love affairs, the last straw seems to have been broken with, now ex-wife, Elin Nordegren filing for divorce from Tiger Woods. Originally seeking to accept a $500 million settlement which is exactly half of Tiger Wood’s $1 billion fortune, reports says that she will be receiving a figure closer to $100 million. Part of the divorce settlement requires Nordegren to remain silent about the numerous alleged affairs Tiger Woods was involved in. His main fear revolves around his reputation being rebuilt years later to only fall back down into the gutter with slanderish statements Nordegren is capable of.

Michael and Juanita Jordan

Over the course of Michael Jordon’s marriage with Chicago bank officer Juanita Vanoy, Jordan earned more than $350 million including numerous endorsement deals. The couple also signed an agreement entitling Juanita to half her husband’s fortune. The marriage became eve more rocky as the opportunity for reconciliation became difficult when it was revealed that the Jordan had paid Karla Knafel, a former lounge singer, to be quite about an affair they had with one another. In 2006, the couple filed for divorce with a family law judge with Juanita coming out with a $169 million settlement.

Steven Spielberg and Amy Irving

The couple met when Irving auditioned for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. They married in 1985, after Spielberg had already struck it big with his first Indiana Jones flick and ET. They divorced after nearly four years of marriage. Irving successfully contested their prenuptial agreement (reportedly scribbled on a napkin) because she did not have legal representation and was awarded $100 million, roughly half of Spielberg’s fortune at the time. Today, he is worth $3 billion.