A divorced couple who couldn’t agree on how to split up their Beanie Baby collection were ordered by a judge Friday to divide up the babies one by one in a courtroom.

Maple the Bear was the first to go.

“This isn’t about toys. It’s about control,” Family Court Judge Gerald Hardcastle told the couple. “Because you folks can’t solve it, it takes the services of a District Court judge, a bailiff and a court reporter.”

There was snickering among the five or six people in the gallery.


“I don’t agree with the judge’s decision to do this. It’s ridiculous and embarrassing,” Frances Mountain said moments before squatting on the courtroom floor alongside her ex-husband to choose first from a pile of stuffed toys.

Frances and Harold Mountain divorced four months ago. According to the divorce decree, the parties were supposed to divide their Beanie Baby collection, estimated to be worth between $2,500 and $5,000.

But they failed to split up the toys by themselves. After Harold Mountain filed a motion to get his share of the toys, the judge said he had had enough.

“So I told them to bring the Beanie Babies in, spread them out on the floor, and I’ll have them pick one each until they’re all gone.”