Former New York Mayor Giuliani, wife reach settlement before divorce trial

Wednesday, July 10th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) _ Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and Donna Hanover reached an out-of-court divorce settlement Wednesday, avoiding a public conclusion to their bitter separation after two decades of marriage.

Supreme Court Justice Judith Gische had granted attorneys for the two a two-hour extension to finalize details worked out in an all-night negotiating session.

Hanover's lawyer, Helen Brezinsky, said the deal was being signed and the judge told both sides to return with the papers.

``Come in with your clients, show me that it's signed, and we'll say our goodbyes,'' the judge said.

The marriage began falling apart during Giuliani's first term as mayor.

Giuliani, 57, had filed for divorce on Oct. 20, 2000, accusing Hanover with cruel and inhuman treatment. Hanover, in her own filing last month, blamed the ex-mayor's ``open and notorious adultery'' for the split.

Giuliani has acknowledged an affair with his current girlfriend, Judith Nathan.

Hanover, 52, also accused Giuliani of an affair with a former staffer, Christyne Lategano-Nicholas. She and Giuliani have denied the allegation.

In June, the judge ordered Giuliani to pay Hanover child support of $8,000 a month, which, along with other expenses, would bring his monthly payments to her _ at least temporarily _ to more than $20,000.

The judge increased the amounts Giuliani had to pay after he acknowledged that he will earn some $8 million this year in speaking fees alone. Hanover had asked for nearly $1 million a year.

Lawyers for both sides had worked hard for the past several days _ including an eight-hour session July 3 _ to cut a deal that would keep the city's former first couple's problems from becoming even more exposed in a public trial.