The divorce of Frank and Jamie McCourt has been closely followed by sports fans and divorce attorneys in Pasadena alike. In what's being called the nastiest billionaire breakup in Southern California history, the McCourts are battling over ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers. On Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the couple's attorneys argued over the validity of a document, said to have been signed in 2004, which gives Frank sole ownership of the Dodgers. Yet two versions of the marital property agreement have surfaced in court, and the difference between the two could spell victory for Jamie.
One version of the marital agreement, signed by Jamie in Massachusetts, states that the Dodgers clearly is Frank's property. The other, signed by Frank in California, however, states that ownership of the Dodgers could be debated. Lawyers for Frank are claiming the California version is a mistake, while Jamie's team alleges the two versions of the document were meant to purposely mislead her. Jamie has contended from the beginning that Frank "fraudulently altered" the marital property agreement and the discrepancies between the two may go a long way in supporting her claims. Judge Scott Gordon sided with Jamie's lawyers on Monday by ruling all "extrinsic" evidence relating to any agreement should be excluded in the trial. This could be a blow for Frank, who has ardently claimed his ex-wife willingly signed away her rights to the Dodgers. Frank's legal team will have its chance to discredit Jamie and her lack of knowledge later this week when she takes the stand.
While the McCourts owned several homes together and joint businesses, the Los Angeles Dodgers are certainly the crown jewel in the couple's assets. Said to be worth close to $2 billion dollars, the Dodgers, current season notwithstanding, are one of the most profitable teams in Major League Baseball. The trial is scheduled to last 7 days and judgment could be made as early as Friday.
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