McCartney's Rocky Divorce Trial Keeps on Rolling

02/15/2008 6:00 AM, E! Online


It looks like a few more hard days' nights are in Paul McCartney's future.

Although his long-pending divorce trial was expected to wrap up following a week of proceedings in British court Friday, the case, much like every other step in his and Heather Mills' road back to singlehood, is taking longer than first anticipated.

"It will go on until Monday," a spokesperson for the London High Court said Friday.

While the hearings have been taking place in closed-door sessions and neither side has—or likely will—commented on the details of the proceedings, their extension indicates the two sides have so far failed to come to terms on a financial settlement in the split.

But in a sign that the end is nigh, Court 34 at the Royal Courts of Justice where the proceedings are taking place, is booked only through Monday.

Mills' decision to represent herself in the case has also apparently contributed to the longer time frame.

The trial kicked off Monday and nary a word has emerged about the status. And for good reason. The presiding judge, High Court Justice Hugh Bennett, warned the couple that any media leaks would result in their being held in contempt of court.

However, the ever-wily British press has made some strides toward sussing out the courtroom goings-on.

Earlier this week, boxes of videotape were spotted being hauled into the courtroom. It was said to be footage captured by the 40-year-old Mills herself, showing her relentless pursuit and harassment by the tabloid press, likely shown in connection with her bid for receiving some sort of security in the divorce settlement.

On Friday, boxes of legal documents and files were wheeled side-by-side into the courtroom, though it's unclear for which star's case the papers were brought in to support.

While McCartney wasn't spotted leaving the courthouse on Friday, Mills McCartney was photographed smiling on her way out.

The 65-year-old former Beatle's impending payout to Mills has the potential to be the largest such divorce settlement in U.K. legal history. Mills has been tipped to receive anywhere from $50-$100 million once everything is said and done, a hefty sum though relatively paltry when compared to McCartney's estimated $1.6 billion fortune.

A formal judgment from Bennett is expected to come at least two weeks after proceedings wrap in the form of a written ruling. The judgment, like the rest of the case, will be kept sealed and only be made public in the event that either McCartney or Mills challenges the ruling in a court of appeals.

The duo has reportedly already agreed to joint custody of their four-year-old daughter, Beatrice.

They announced in May 2006, after four years of marriage, that they would be amicably separating—though the plan to split lasted, the plan to keep it amicable quickly fell to the wayside.

Earlier this week, Mills' father spoke out on his daughter's behalf, heralding her poise in the wake of a full-blown media assault on her character and the steady stream of harassment he says she experiences.

As a result, Mark Mills told the press, Heather will likely hightail it out of the U.K. when a settlement is reached, likely setting up shop in either the U.S. or France.

"She won't stay in this country," he said. "She knows everybody hates her, and she does not care. I think she's very low at the moment and would leap at the chance to get away from it all."