Frank McCourt's lawyer: 'Jamie's case is a loser'

The lawyer for Frank McCourt charged Thursday that Jamie McCourt and her lawyers "have truly become desperate and are now using their court filings as press releases."

In a court filing earlier Thursday, Jamie alleged that Frank had tampered with the agreement that divided the couple's assets. Frank claims the agreement provides him with sole ownership of the Dodgers, but Jamie now charges that three of the six copies of the agreement do not do so, and that she never would have signed any document that turned over sole control of the team to Frank.

Steve Susman, the attorney for Frank, called the claims "twisted and distorted" in a letter to one of her attorneys and said Jamie's legal team was "grasping at straws ... that don't even exist."

In that letter to Mike Kump, an attorney for Jamie, Susman wrote,  "To turn this matter into the ugly accusations you have made reflects but one thing: You, too, agree that Jamie's case is a loser on the merits of facts and law."

Susman said he had no objection to Jamie's request that the court consider all six copies of the disputed agreement. He said a drafting error resulted in the language that the agreement excluded rather than included the Dodgers as Frank's separate property and said the agreement was corrected by the lawyer after the couple signed it.

Susman also said that the agreement was clearly intended to protect creditors from seizing the couple's homes should any business assets falter. It would be absurd, he said, to consider an agreement that excludes rather than includes the business assets as Frank's sole property.

"You can't possibly  be suggesting that the (agreement) intended for Jamie to end up with all the houses and all the money," Susman wrote Kump, "and Frank to end up with nothing of substance as his personal property except at least $119 million in personal liabilities."

More later at latimes.com/sports.

-- Bill Shaikin

Comments

[Dodger Tony]

Not being an attorney, but understanding rudimentary law, since Jamie is the plaintiff, isn't the burden of proof entirely with her legal team to prove that these three documents were tampered with? How will she be able to prove such a thing occurred? Will there be micro-forensic analysis needed?

It seems like any hope for a settlement is evaporating by the minute. This thing could be tied up in appeals for years, with the Dodgers in financial limbo.

[nedisfrankspuppet]

These two people truly deserve one another. They should always be together.

Can we get them into marriage counselling and then maybe on their own TV-based reality series, called " L A's Civic Treasure, the McCourts."

Follow the weekly misadventures of our very own mega-egomanical power couple as they destroy all that is wholesome and cherished in our society. And then Jamie can run for President in 2012.

[Since '58]

And you know what? They couldn't care less what we think. Go down to the courthouse on Monday and let them know.

[skyharbor]

Frank McCourt's lawyer: 'Jamie's case is a loser'
Jamie McCourt's lawyer: 'Frank's case is a loser'

The judge will decide with relative ease that all of their shenanigans...including the contracts between them...were all crafted "jointly" for the express purpose of fleecing the government and Dodger fans and anyone else who entered their airspace. The judge will then order everything split 50-50. Judges in divorces cases see this day in and day out and usually cut through it all in short order and do what's "fair" in spite of acrimonious participants.

[K]

One of two things is going on here: either Jamie has indeed unearthed THE technicality that will drop this case in her lap and Frank is calling her bluff as only he can do...

OR --

Jamie IS grasping at one really ugly straw and Frank is laughing hysterically.

There are only two things I want to happen here: the McCourts sell our beloved team to somebody who truly cares about it, and (stealing a line from a Hepburn-Tracy film classic) "get permanently lost."

[mike n]

I think the McCourts have outright proven to us what the Celtics made us think all along: Boston sucks! Jackasses!

[16blows]

"Mike Kump"

- am I the only one upon first viewing this story read Mike Kump but thot - Matt Kemp? Prevailing shades of Peter Piper and his peck of pickled peppers...and of strikeouts aplenty:

Matt Kemp Mike Kump Mike Kump Matt Kemp Mike might but Kemp kant, and accompanied by Mitch Miller's 'Sing Along' choral pleading to "just follow the bouncing ball (motions) & s(tr)ing along!"

Meanwhile via the dulcet not so subtle judicial stylings law firm Lily, White, Very & Reverent, lawyer opposition McCourt condemns "court filings as press releases" and "Jaime's case is a loser" - which engenders the query: why then are you so scared as to fight such a fire with fire, AAL? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em?

Here's hoping Dodger Jaime's Mike Kump doesn't strike out on 3 low down dirty pages as Dodger Frank's Matt Kemp does on 3 low down and away filthies.

Somewhere there that fifth dimension, Rod Serling scripts an resurrected version 'The Liar's Club'...

[jim]

The real loser here is the fans. These two idiots are using the Dodgers as their personal piggybank.

...and did Franks lawyer really state that Jaimie would get all the houses and money (worth $50 - $70 million) and Frank would get $119 million in personal liabilities?

More like Jaimie $50 mllion (Houses) and Frank $700 million (Dodgers).

lawyer.

[alanw19]

Here's hoping skyharbor is spot-on.

And again, agree with Since 58 - go see 'em, tell 'em

[H Albert]

As filthy-rich as they may be, Frank & Jamie McCourt are losers, as are the Dodgers until these nincompoops sell the team. They will still turn a nice profit, which is apparently all they were ever really interested in anyway. Until they do sell, I'd guess that all we lifelong Dodger fans can be is embarrassed.

[Paul D.]

The judge should auction off the team and rule that the two of these idiots spend the rest of their lives together.

[Done AsAFanUntilMcCourtCollettiTorreRussellMartinAreGone]

The McCourts are losers.

[BartA58]

Now, which one of Frank's twelve divorce attorneys made this statement? You need a Dodger scorecard just to keep track of all of Frank's scum bag lawyers. If they are smart they will settle, sell the team and get out of town. The comments made on the Dodger blog today are incredible. How can anyone take this kind of constant daily flogging in the press? These two take the cake..I thought Georgia Frontiere was bad (she was)but these two are truly amazing.

[Wilbur Post]

SELL SELL SELL Let's see, Jamie waits all this time to claim fraud. Makes sense. She has all the brains in the operation. She knew the limo driver had more than Frank. Good read on character Jamie. Please, take this soap back to Boston. Sell the team, split whatever assets the attorneys don't take, and get out of town.

[Hollywood Dodger Mark]

"The Dodgers will finish in fourth place with a .500 record"
Hollywood Dodger Mark
February 21, 2010

[The LFP]

There will be a fan protest on the opening day of the trial outside the Superior court building at 8 AM. Here is your chance to show your displeasure with the ownership. Please attend.