Bren loses bid in child-support suit

Billionaire land developer Donald Bren lost a bid Thursday to throw out a lawsuit by two of his children, who allege that he defrauded them out of child-support payments.

Lawyers say they need detailed financial information from Bren to determine his wealth and calculate the proper amount of support he should pay for his daughter Christie, 19, and son David, 15. Bren has sought to keep such information private.

The children’s lawyers have estimated that the chairman of the Irvine Co. is worth $13.5 billion and said they might ask for 19% of his income in child support. Bren’s lawyers said he has paid each child $17,000 a month tax-free for more than a decade under an agreement with their mother, Jennifer Gold.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charles C. Lee suggested that a redacted federal income tax statement from Bren might be sufficient to determine his wealth and how much child support he should pay.