Craig Ballegeer just received a financial hammer from the Arkansas Court of Appeals. On October 28, 2026, the court affirmed a lower court's order forcing him to buy out his ex-wife Holly's half-interest in their former business, Groundskeeper, for $183,000. But the bill doesn't stop there. The ruling also tacks on 3.75% prejudgment interest dating back to the original divorce decree on October 5, 2017.
This is the fourth time these two have traded blows in the appellate court over the division of their 34-year marriage's assets. Craig had argued that the lower court ignored its own instructions from a 2024 reversal. He also claimed he deserved a credit for $129,141 in taxes he paid on behalf of both spouses. Certified public accountant Cliff Hubbs testified that Craig covered the entire $258,282 in tax liabilities, penalties, and interest.
The appeals court didn't bite. They found that Craig had kept the business running and pocketed the profits while Holly was locked out of her financial stake. As the court noted, giving Craig a tax deduction would have left Holly with less than half of the marital property. The ruling effectively punishes Craig for holding the asset hostage for nearly a decade.
The court rejected the notion that a judgment for the specific $183,000 amount needed to exist in 2017 for interest to accrue. The original divorce decree valued Holly's share and established a reverse-auction process to determine who kept the business. Because Craig failed to execute that buyout and instead retained control, the financial clock started ticking immediately. The ruling is final, meaning Craig's bank account will feel the weight of those nine years of delayed payment.