A judge Wednesday refused to dismiss contempt charges against actress Kim Basinger, who is accused of failing to heed court orders in her custody fight with ex-husband and actor Alec Baldwin.
Superior Court Commissioner Maren E. Nelson denied a motion by Basinger’s attorney to throw out 12 misdemeanor counts of contempt.
Basinger pleaded not guilty last week. She faces up to 60 days in jail and a $12,000 fine if convicted of all counts.
Baldwin, 48, and Basinger, 52, separated in 2000 after seven years of marriage. Neither actor appeared at Wednesday’s hearing.
The actors agreed last year to joint custody of their 10-year-old daughter, Ireland, who lives with Basinger. Baldwin is permitted extra visits when Basinger is away from home without her daughter.
However, his court papers allege that in 2005, Basinger ignored court orders and did not let Baldwin know she would be out of town working so that he could take care of Ireland until she returned.
“She even admits she was gone, what she won’t say is how long she was gone,” Baldwin attorney Vicki J. Greene argued during the two-hour hearing.
Basinger attorney Judy Bogen unsuccessfully argued that there was insufficient evidence to back up the allegations and the trial, scheduled for Feb. 16, should not proceed.
Nelson ordered Basinger’s lawyer to provide Baldwin with some documents showing where Basinger traveled without her daughter since September 2005.
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