I see several issues here that jump out at me, sadly enough none of which involve the billionaire paying his children more money. The issues that jump out at me are as follows:
1. Child Support is capped in many states well below the figures already paid by Bren. In Texas he would have been on the hook for a maximum of $1,875.00 per month.
2. The children's mother already agreed to the child support figures by contract while the children were minors. Child support is due to the Mother not to the children. Apparently Bren fulfilled this contract. How could a court even consider going back 18-22 years and re-establishing a new child support amount to be paid to the children. It seems outlandish to me that it would even make it to trial. It must have something to do with California law.
3. Where is the pride of the children? How do you convince yourself that you are entitled to this money? Why are you not earning your own money?
4. Is the lawyer for the children, Hillel Chodos being paid on an hourly fee or is he being paid on a contingent fee? My guess is that the lawyer is being paid on a contingent fee. I cannot imagine that these children would be funding this litigation against Bren. I have to think that this is a publicity stunt by the lawyer. He probably hoped that the 78 year old well known for his privacy would have settled out of court which would have given the lawyer a great pay day. Obviously Bren did not want to settle and the lawyer is left with his bills being paid by free publicity.
Please enjoy the Deutsch article below:
Billionaire Eases Grip on Privacy During Lawsuit
Updated: 2 days 5 hours ago
AP
LOS ANGELES (Aug. 19) - Billionaire Donald Bren, who has spent a lifetime protecting his privacy, is breaking the pattern by showing up in a Los Angeles courtroom to air details of his private life in a legal battle with his two grown children from a long-ago love affair, who are seeking millions.
The issue is money and alleged broken promises.
Bren's lawyer, John Quinn, said Wednesday in opening statements to the jury that the 78-year-old real estate mogul didn't make or break any promises regarding the children. He just had no relationship with them.
"This is not a case about whether Mr. Bren was a good father, a bad father or an indifferent father," said Quinn. "He wasn't around, so he wasn't a father for most of the time. ... He's never going to be to those children father of the year."
On one side of the courtroom sat Bren, a patrician-looking gray-haired man who is one of the nation's wealthiest people. On the other side sat Christie Bren, 22, and David Bren, 18. They are suing their father for $400,000 a month in child support retroactive to the time they were born. That comes to about $100 million.
Attorney Hillel Chodos, representing the children, painted their father as a high-living executive who has two California homes, a New York apartment, a Sun Valley ranch, two yachts and five private jets.
"Donald Bren is able to live and does live like a maharajah," said Chodos.
Donald Bren, chairman of the Irvine Co., has an estimated net worth of $12 billion and is 16th in Forbes' magazine's ranking of the 400 richest Americans. He once told the children's mother, Jennifer McKay Gold, whom he never married, that he spent $3 million to $5 million a month on personal expenses, Chodos said.
Quinn said that the figure was probably closer to $125,000 and that the planes were part of a private jet-leasing company Bren owns.
Chodos said the children's mother will testify that Bren promised to always claim the children as his and to retain a parental relationship with them.
Quinn denied that and painted a very different portrait of his client: a self-made real estate magnate who is obsessed with privacy and works seven days a week, barely taking time off for vacations.
"He doesn't have a chauffeur. He has only one car. He's a man who shines his own shoes, pumps his own gas," said Quinn.
"We don't apologize for it -- he is a very wealthy man," said Quinn, who acknowledged that Bren "lives a comfortable lifestyle."
The billionaire's attitude toward the children was always clear to their mother, Quinn said.
"Those promises were never made. There's not a scrap of paper. There are no witnesses. She never told anyone about these promises," Quinn said.
Quinn showed jurors a series of four legal agreements involving child support entered into by Gold each time she became pregnant and after the children were born. The contracts, beginning in 1988, rose from $3,500 a month to $18,000 a month between 1992 and 2002.
"These children never wanted for anything," he said.
Chodos said that was not the issue. "They lived a nice life," he conceded. "But this is about what they were entitled to."
The issue is money and alleged broken promises.
Bren's lawyer, John Quinn, said Wednesday in opening statements to the jury that the 78-year-old real estate mogul didn't make or break any promises regarding the children. He just had no relationship with them.
Reed Saxon, AP
Billionaire developer Donald Bren is being sued for child support by his two grown children from a long-ago affair, David and Christie.
"This is not a case about whether Mr. Bren was a good father, a bad father or an indifferent father," said Quinn. "He wasn't around, so he wasn't a father for most of the time. ... He's never going to be to those children father of the year."
On one side of the courtroom sat Bren, a patrician-looking gray-haired man who is one of the nation's wealthiest people. On the other side sat Christie Bren, 22, and David Bren, 18. They are suing their father for $400,000 a month in child support retroactive to the time they were born. That comes to about $100 million.
Reed Saxon, AP
Jennifer McKay Gold and her son David Leroy Bren, whose father is Donald Bren, leave court on Wednesday. Gold is Donald Bren's former girlfriend.
"Donald Bren is able to live and does live like a maharajah," said Chodos.
Donald Bren, chairman of the Irvine Co., has an estimated net worth of $12 billion and is 16th in Forbes' magazine's ranking of the 400 richest Americans. He once told the children's mother, Jennifer McKay Gold, whom he never married, that he spent $3 million to $5 million a month on personal expenses, Chodos said.
Quinn said that the figure was probably closer to $125,000 and that the planes were part of a private jet-leasing company Bren owns.
Chodos said the children's mother will testify that Bren promised to always claim the children as his and to retain a parental relationship with them.
Quinn denied that and painted a very different portrait of his client: a self-made real estate magnate who is obsessed with privacy and works seven days a week, barely taking time off for vacations.
"He doesn't have a chauffeur. He has only one car. He's a man who shines his own shoes, pumps his own gas," said Quinn.
"We don't apologize for it -- he is a very wealthy man," said Quinn, who acknowledged that Bren "lives a comfortable lifestyle."
The billionaire's attitude toward the children was always clear to their mother, Quinn said.
"Those promises were never made. There's not a scrap of paper. There are no witnesses. She never told anyone about these promises," Quinn said.
Quinn showed jurors a series of four legal agreements involving child support entered into by Gold each time she became pregnant and after the children were born. The contracts, beginning in 1988, rose from $3,500 a month to $18,000 a month between 1992 and 2002.
"These children never wanted for anything," he said.
Chodos said that was not the issue. "They lived a nice life," he conceded. "But this is about what they were entitled to."
Interesting article about child support. Its very helpful.
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