A recent post discussed the complex divorce battle between Frank and Jamie McCourt. Whereas both spouses want to end their marriage of 30 years, details about spousal support and the division of assets have made finalizing the separation an ongoing fight.

Jamie McCourt filed for divorce in Oct. 2009, and a judge ruled in May that Frank McCourt pay her $225,000 in monthly spousal support and $400,000 per month to pay for their various home mortgages.

The final straw in this divorce process is how the couple will split what seems to be the most precious asset to both of them: the L.A. Dodgers.

The previous post covering the McCourts' divorce alluded to the idea that the couple was close to coming to a negotiation involving the division of the MLB team. Sources claimed the McCourts wanted to avoid court and save themselves and their family from the risks of a hostile court scene.

But the most recent news in the McCourt case has complicated the momentary goal to settle outside of court, and it looks like the McCourts and their team of divorce attorneys will have to show up and fight at their scheduled Aug. 30 court hearing. 

Over the course of the divorce process, the legal teams on each side of the case have searched for and analyzed the legal documents regarding marital property and team ownership of the Dodgers. Jamie McCourt's team has allegedly discovered multiple copies of the same document that Frank McCourt is using to prove that she holds no ownership to the team.

Jamie McCourt claims that there are contracts that include her as part owner of the Dodgers, and the document that she actually signed in 2004 named her as part owner. The document that Frank McCourt and his legal team are using as evidence to prevent Jamie from gaining any ownership of the team after the divorce does not list Jamie McCourt as owner.

Frank McCourt is being accused of getting his wife to sign a contract wherein she was named as part owner but then changing that document post signature in order to be named the sole owner of the Dodgers.

This divorce case just keeps getting more complicated. That is why a decision is unlikely to be made until the ruling rests in the hands of a judge who will probably look over the various versions of the document in question. As mentioned earlier, the next scheduled hearing for the McCourt case is on Aug. 30. We will let you know whether any decisions are made.

Resources

The Associated Press: Lawyers: Doc shows Jamie McCourt also owns Dodgers (8/19/2010)

USA Today: Jamie McCourt alleges husband changed Dodger ownership agreement after she signed it (8/19/2010)