Frank McCourt files appeal notice

Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on Friday appealed a court ruling that deprived him of sole ownership of the team.

The court filing Friday simply preserved the right to appeal, said Ryan Kirkpatrick, an attorney for McCourt. Kirkpatrick said he expects the appellate court to defer for now to the Los Angeles Superior Court.

In December, Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon threw out a marital property agreement that would have granted Frank McCourt sole ownership of the Dodgers. The court has yet to make a final determination of whether the Dodgers are community property, owned 50-50 by McCourt and his ex-wife, Jamie.

The McCourts had put the divorce case on hold while pursuing a settlement, but those talks collapsed, and Commissioner Bud Selig installed a trustee to oversee the Dodgers' business operations. Kirkpatrick said he expected the divorce case to resume and said the appellate court option would be available after Gordon finalizes the divorce proceedings.

No date has been set for the next phase of the divorce trial. Lawyers for Jamie McCourt have said that phase might not begin until next year.

-- Bill Shaikin

Photo: Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt attends the game against the San Diego Padres on April 29, 2011 at Dodger Stadium in L.A. Credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Comments

[waus]

Hey Donnie Baseball,

Just because your GM bows down to the fans and makes the idiotic choice of signing two major league household item losers (Gwynn and Thames) it doesn't mean you have to force them into the lineup.

Sands needs the playing time and is the only one of the three who has a future with the team.

[bleeddodgerblue]

@waus Gywnn saved that game for us today. And Thames is a homerun hitting machine. Yes Sands has a bright future ahead of him, but he wouldn't be able to make that play that Gywnn did. Sands was hitless in today's game too. I'd hardly call Gwynn and Thames losers.

[Labeldude]

I don't find anything about Frank "appealing."