Richard Stephenson's attorney, David Grund, blamed the long, drawn-out proceedings on the other party's unwillingness to settle. He asked the judge to enforce a prenuptial agreement, signed by Alicia Stephenson, which provided her with $250,000 toward the purchase of a house, plus $5,000 a month in maintenance, if the marriage lasted more than seven years, as it did. Grund contended Alicia Stephenson, who had a high school diploma and associate's degree when the couple married, failed to live up to her part of the agreement because she didn't continue her education so she could be "self-supporting."