Former Playboy Playmate Must Pay Ex-Husband’s Fees in Divorce
There was no good news for Hope Marie Carlton in the latest
ruling on her prenuptial agreement battle with ex-husband Robert Levin. Even though Levin is worth several millions
of dollars according to Geoffrey Fattah of the Deseret News, Carlton must cover
her ex’s divorce court costs.
The Utah Court of Appeals ruled that she is not
entitled to a portion of her former husband’s wealth because of a prenuptial
agreement. Carlton is not entitled to
co-ownership of a luxury resort or $1.5 million in profits from Levin’s land
development investments in San Juan County.
Carlton is entitled to nothing because prior the couple’s marriage in
1991, they signed a prenuptial agreement that protected Levin’s assets from
being divided in the event that the couple ever decided to file for
divorce.
Carlton was Playboy Magazine’s "Playmate of the Month" in
1985 and at the time of the marriage was an aspiring actress with occasional
parts in movies and television shows. She made as much as $44,000 in one year during that period. At the same time, Levin was 42 and already
semi-retired after making his millions at a young age.
After their marriage, Carlton and Levin moved to Park City,
Utah, where they lived a "luxurious leisure lifestyle" in the opinion of the
Court of Appeals. In 1994, they
developed the Sorrel River Ranch Resort along a stretch of the Colorado River. Carlton believed she was a co-owner of the
luxury resort and spa, according to court records.
The resort briefly landed in the news in 2003
after the couple invited HBO to shoot episodes of an HBO series called "Hotel
Erotica" on the property. According to
the Deseret News, citing IMDB.com, Carlton acted in the series.
She has also starred in several Playboy-produced shows and
some horror movies and sitcom roles.
In addition to ruling against Carlton’s motion to receive a
portion of the Sorrel River Ranch Resort and other assets, the Court of Appeals
also ordered Carlton to compensate her ex-husband for the legal fees he
incurred during the court battle. These
fees amount to approximately $167,885, according to the Deseret News.
The ruling states that Carlton will pay the
money via deductions from her alimony award, which is currently set at $15,000 a
month. From each payment $2,500 will be deducted until the court costs have been equaled out.
On that plan, Carlton will pay off the court
costs in a little over five and a half years, though a lower court could adjust
the terms of her repayment plan. Carlton
also has the right to appeal the Court of Appeals’ decision to the Utah Supreme
Court, though there are no indications yet as to whether or not she will take
this route.
Source: Deseret
News
