Culkin Back In Court…

The honeymoon blues are already setting in for Macaulay Culkin. The Home Alone star is facing yet another tedious courtroom drama, this time with a former legal guardian who was hired to protect Culkin's interests during the much-publicised custody battle between his warring parents. Culkin, who married teen actress Rachel Miner back in June, has been stumped with a legal bill of $142,000, courtesy of former Family Court Judge Mara Thorpe. The star's parents, the acidic Kit Culkin and Patricia Brentrup, were supposed to foot the bill for Thorpe's services, which basically involved the promotion and protection of young Macaulay and his five siblings during their parent's break-up. Yet when the custody battle was finally settled in April 1997, both Kit and Patricia were "unable" to pay for Thorpe's work, so the ex-judge invoiced Culkin instead. Apparently, Thorpe reckons that the 18-year old star, who is now estimated to be worth a whopping $17m, could easily pay the legal fees because they are "but a small fraction of his total estate." Culkin, who is gearing up for a serious comeback in the movie world, has yet to comment on the whole affair.