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.



1.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.

2. 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 bosom 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.

3.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.

4.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.


5.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.

4.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.

5.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.

4.Michael Jordan & Juanita Vanoy - US$168 Million

So far, basketball legend Michael Jordan has one of the highest divorce payouts on record. Jordan met Juanita Vanoy through a mutual friend at a restaurant in Chicago in 1984. Three years later, he proposed. The couple wed in September of 1989 at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Vanoy initially filed for divorce in January of 2002. The couple reconciled, but in 2006 she filed again stating "irreconcilable differences." The divorce was finalised in 2007, and Vanoy received a US$168 million payout - about one-third of Jordan's assets at the time.

5. Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey - US$150 Million

"Irreconcilable differences" was also what led to the split between singer Neil Diamond and his former wife Marcia Murphey. Diamond, known for hits such as Sweet Caroline and Hello Again, married the television production assistant in 1969, less than a month after his divorce from his first wife. The divorce with Murphey finalised in 1999. Murphy left with US$150 million, the highest divorce payout at the time. However, Diamond was widely quoted as saying that his former wife was "worth every penny".

6. Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving - US$100 million

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg and actress Amy Irving had a 10-year relationship before they married. The wedding was held November 1985 in Palo Alto, California. It ended in divorce in 1989. The couple had a prenuptial agreement, but the judge departed from the agreement because it was written on a napkin. Irving left the marriage with US$100 million - half of Spielberg's fortune.



7 Harrison Ford & Melissa Mathison - US$85 Million

Actor Harrison Ford met screenwriter Melissa Mathison on the set of Apocalypse Now. He wed the writer of E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial in March 1983. The divorce was finalised in 2004. In addition to the millions Mathison received, it was determined that she would split future royalty earnings on films Harrison made during their marriage, such as the Indiana Jones series.

8. Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva - US$80 Million

Kevin Costner and Cindy Silva were college sweethearts. She was pursuing a biological science degree, while he focused on a degree in business administration and developed an interest in an acting career. After a two-and-half year courtship, the couple married in 1978. The marriage ended in divorce 16 years later, following Costner's most successful and profitable period as an actor. Silva got US$80 million in the divorce proceedings.

9 Madonna & Guy Ritchie - US$76 Million

Pop star Madonna and English film star Guy Ritchie met at a dinner party in 1999 thrown by mutual friends Sting and Trudy Styler. They married in 2000. After two children (one biological and one adopted) their marriage fizzled and they filed for divorce in October 2008. Their divorce was finalised in January 2009, a

Celebrity relationships and weddings have often been plagued with drama. Not only are these couples glamorous and powerful, but their volatile relationships also tend to end quickly - and sometimes explosively. Here we look at ten power couples who parted ways - and some partners who parted with a fortune in the process.

1. Michael Jordan & Juanita Vanoy - US$168 Million

So far, basketball legend Michael Jordan has one of the highest divorce payouts on record. Jordan met Juanita Vanoy through a mutual friend at a restaurant in Chicago in 1984. Three years later, he proposed. The couple wed in September of 1989 at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Vanoy initially filed for divorce in January of 2002. The couple reconciled, but in 2006 she filed again stating "irreconcilable differences." The divorce was finalised in 2007, and Vanoy received a US$168 million payout - about one-third of Jordan's assets at the time.

2. Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey - US$150 Million

"Irreconcilable differences" was also what led to the split between singer Neil Diamond and his former wife Marcia Murphey. Diamond, known for hits such as Sweet Caroline and Hello Again, married the television production assistant in 1969, less than a month after his divorce from his first wife. The divorce with Murphey finalised in 1999. Murphy left with US$150 million, the highest divorce payout at the time. However, Diamond was widely quoted as saying that his former wife was "worth every penny".

3. Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving - US$100 million

Filmmaker Steven Spielberg and actress Amy Irving had a 10-year relationship before they married. The wedding was held November 1985 in Palo Alto, California. It ended in divorce in 1989. The couple had a prenuptial agreement, but the judge departed from the agreement because it was written on a napkin. Irving left the marriage with US$100 million - half of Spielberg's fortune.

10. Phil Collins & Orianne Cevey - US$46.7 Million
English singer Phil Collins met Orianne Cevey on tour in 1994, while she was working as his interpreter. Their 1999 marriage was Collins' third, but the third time wasn't a charm for Collins. The couple's divorced was finalised in August of 2008, with Collins paying Cevey nearly US$50 million. All told, Collins' three divorces have reportedly cost him US$84 million - nearly one-third of his fortune.