AP PhotoA judge threw out the controversial property agreement, supporting Jamie McCourt's claim she is co-owner of the Dodgers. Not surprisingly, her ex-husband, Frank McCourt, disagrees.For nearly a year now, Jamie and Frank McCourt have been airing their personal and professional grievances for all to hear as they dispute over ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It's like a real-life "The War of the Roses" -- though one can only hope a dramatic ending involving a chandelier can be avoided.
On Tuesday, a judge found the marital property agreement signed by the McCourts in 2004 to be invalid, thereby denying Frank McCourt sole ownership of the ball club and making it a possibility that the team could be shared by the exes under the state of California's community property law. After the ruling, Frank McCourt's camp claimed the judge's decision will not affect his ownership of the team and that they plan to use other legal measures to disprove Jamie McCourt's claims of co-ownership.
Yup, doesn't look like a resolution will be reached anytime soon, which brings us to the real winners in the case so far: the lawyers. This "Dodger Divorce" has already cost over $20 million in legal fees -- in baseball terms, that's two Rafael Furcals, five Matt Kemps or a whopping 50 Carlos Monasterioses. Of course 20 mil ain't much for a couple that spent over $74 million on FOUR mansions within a 10-mile radius in L.A., and also own a $4.6 million lot in Cabo San Lucas, a $6 million condo in Vail, a $7.7 million residence in Montana and a 100-acre Cape Cod mansion, now on the market for $50 million.
The sports world has seen its fair share of pricey, messy divorces (Michael Jordan and Tiger, anyone?) but the McCourts' case is unique in that perhaps the child most hurt by the split won't be any of the couple's four sons, but rather the big baby they're fighting over, the Dodgers organization. Sometimes a relationship ends amicably; you can share your friends, your hangouts and maybe even your time. Other times, well I think we all know how ugly it can get when bitter exes are forced to share and nurture something -- a dog, perhaps -- while simultaneously plotting each other's demise. Let's hope for everyone's sake that the case of Frank and Jamie McCourt and the Los Angeles Dodgers doesn't end up being a cautionary tale (narrated by Danny Devito, natch) a la that ill-fated couple in "The War of The Roses."
