Child support disputes are not uncommon in family law cases, but the case between billionaire Donald Bren and his two children is a unique circumstance. First, most families do not have billions of dollars to fight over, but there is another oddity in the child support case.

The children in this case are not children, but they are adults. Christie Bren is 22, and David Bren is 18. They are adults, but they are seeking child support from their father in order to make up for past years.

Donald Bren was never married to Christie and David Bren's mother, so no divorce proceeding was ever necessary. But the couple reportedly did come to child custody and child support arrangements at the time of their separation. The mother had full custody of the kids.

Donald Bren, who is worth a reported $12 billion, claims that he has paid the due child support over the years and estimates that he's paid the children $10 million in support, including paying for their education.

He and his attorney, therefore, are hesitant to cater to the children's financial demands. According to reports, Christie and David Bren are asking for $400,000 each in child support payments that they claim they deserved from between 1988 and 2002. In total, that means Donald Bren would owe his children more than $100 million.

The children admit that they did not lead a life of financial hardship, but they say that their father's absence was emotionally hurtful and that they are merely seeking what is owed to them.

Resource

USA Today: Billionaire Donald Bren's kids say they grew up hurt, seek cash (8/23/2010)