Lisa Marie Presley accused of failing to disclose fortune at divorce hearing
Lisa Marie Presley was accused of failing to disclose a 5.6 million dollar a year fortune as she and her estranged husband appeared at a divorce hearing in Los Angeles.
Presley and Michael Lockwood, who have two children together, appeared at Los Angeles Superior Court where a judge ruled she must pay 50,000 dollars towards his lawyers' fees.
Presley, the only daughter of the late rock star Elvis Presley, filed for divorce from musician Lockwood in June after 10 years of marriage.
Jeff Sturman, representing Lockwood, said his client faced "a continual state of poverty with no means to pay living expenses whatsoever" if Presley did not provide spousal support.
"Her average annual earning is 5.6 million dollars per year," Mr Sturman said.
"That's recurrent, based on tax returns.
"In order to generate five and a half million dollars a year you would have to start with a base of around 75 million dollars."
Mr Sturman said Presley's earnings were almost entirely from an Elvis Presley trust fund and she was trying "bulldoze" her estranged husband "into submission".
"She wants Mr Lockwood to go without," he added.
Mark Gross, representing Presley, said his client earned 100,000 dollars a month and faced huge debts and expenses to pay for the care of their eight-year-old twin daughters.
"She still owes the government over one million dollars for 2015 alone," Mr Gross said.
"(Mr Lockwood) could apply to be a car salesman or a music teacher. He doesn't believe he has an obligation."
Judge Patrick Cathcart ruled Presley must pay 50,000 dollars, in five 10,000 dollar instalments, towards Lockwood's lawyers' fees.
The judge said he would rule on Lockwood's request for 40,000 dollars a month in spousal support at a court hearing on April 10.
A two or three day trial on the validity of the former couple's pre-nuptial agreement is expected to take place in May or June.
There was no mention in court of Presley's claims that she discovered hundreds of inappropriate photos and "disturbing video footage" on Lockwood's computer.
In court papers filed last week she said the couple's daughters were taken into the care of the department of children and family services in Los Angeles.
Her mother Priscilla has since revealed she is looking after the girls.
Lockwood has denied any wrongdoing and branded Presley's claims "highly sensational, inaccurate and unproven".
It is Presley's fourth divorce after she was previously married to the late pop star Michael Jackson, actor Nicolas Cage and musician Danny Keough.
She is reportedly living with her eldest daughter Riley, from her first marriage to Keough.
