McCartney, Mills back in court

LONDON -- Arriving separately and saying little, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills went to court Monday to reach a financial settlement in their acrimonious, high-stakes divorce.

But what happened in Court 34 on the first day of the five-day hearing is shrouded in secrecy. Unlike most British court cases, divorce proceedings are heard in private. The windows of the oak-paneled courtroom were papered over to stop prying eyes, the door plastered with signs reading "No Admittance -- Strictly Private."

The terms of any settlement will not become public unless it is challenged in the Court of Appeal, or either of the parties chooses to reveal details. Even the size of McCartney's fortune is unknown. Some legal sources think it may be only $390 million, far less than the figure of $1.6 billion given by the Sunday Times newspaper in its annual Rich List.

Press reports have suggested that McCartney has offered Mills around $50 million, and that she is seeking at least double that amount.