Major League Baseball

Split more costly than player's salary

Published Jul. 30, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Frank and Jamie McCourt are on track to spend more for their divorce than the Los Angeles Dodgers' pay their top player, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday, suggesting it could be the most expensive split in California's history.

Legal fees in the high-profile split could exceed $35 million, the report said, comparing it with the $33 million the Dodgers pay to pitcher Ted Lilly — the biggest contract at the Dodgers.

According to filings in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, so far Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has spent $9.4 million on the divorce, while Jamie has spent $11.2 million. And the pair are expected to spend a further $7 million each.

Santa Monica family law attorney Lynn Soodik, who represented Meg Ryan in her divorce from Dennis Quaid, said, "I don't think anything has even come close to that in California."

The Dodgers, who filed for bankruptcy last month, are on track for a second straight losing season for the first time in 24 years and lawyers for both sides agreed the team's onfield results would likely be much better if not for the millions spent on the divorce.

"Frank's remarkable ability to waste money through frivolous legal actions mirrors his devastating decisions that have led to the Dodgers' bankruptcy," said Michael Kump, an attorney for Jamie McCourt.

Ryan Kirkpatrick, an attorney for Frank McCourt, argued, "[Jamie] refuses to settle this. She just wants to inflict pain on Frank and, consequently, on Dodger fans. There is nothing Frank would like better than for the litigation to go away.

"It only takes one person to decide not to settle, and it's really unfair for people to say Frank is the one responsible for this not being settled."

The McCourts filed for divorce 21 months ago and are yet to settle a thing, the Times reported.

Read more here.

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