McCourt Divorce Settlement Talks Resume

Los Angeles - Settlement talks resumed Thursday in the divorce case of Jamie and Frank McCourt involving ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers after a judge ruled a postnuptial marital agreement they signed was invalid.

Both McCourts were in court with their attorneys to meet with Superior Court Judge Scott Gordon, who has presided over their divorce proceedings. There are two more dates scheduled to reach a possible settlement before a June 22 hearing in which Gordon will hear arguments on a request by Jamie McCourt to have Gordon order the sale of the Dodgers.

The couple tried to resolve the dispute over the Dodgers late last year through mediation. A different judge who facilitated those talks declared an impasse in early December. Frank McCourt's lawyers said their client accepted the proposal that was never disclosed.

Six days later Gordon ruled the 10-page agreement, which gave Frank McCourt sole ownership of the Dodgers, was invalid and cleared the way for Jamie McCourt to seek half the team under California's community property law.

The negotiations come at a difficult time for Frank McCourt, who saw Major League Baseball recently appoint a monitor to oversee the Dodgers.

McCourt and the Dodgers also were sued earlier this week by the family of a San Francisco Giants fan who was brutally attacked outside Dodger Stadium on Opening Day. The lawsuit claims McCourt and the team were negligent by not providing more security and not having adequate lighting in the parking lot where the attack occurred.

Baseball officials have said Frank McCourt can't make payroll at the end of this month. However, the Los Angeles Times on Thursday, citing people briefed on the matter, reported he has informed MLB officials he expects to cover the team bills by May 31.