Alex Rodriguez’s Date In Court Gets Pushed Back As Civil Suit Drags On
Updated Aug 31, 2021, 11:55am EDT
Aug 29, 2021, 04:17pm EDT This article is more than 3 years old.
AlexRodriguezwasscheduledtoappearincourtroom10-1oftheMiami-DadeChildren’s CourthouseMonday,August23,forthestartofjuryselectionintheciviltrialthatpits himagainstplaintiffConstantineScurtis,Rodriguez’sformerbrother-in-law.
Buttheyears-longlegalsaga—whichdatesbacktoDecember2014whenScurtisfiled theoriginalcomplaintinFloridastatecourt—willdragoutalittlelonger,asthetwo sidespreparetoargueacivilRICO(racketeering)claimbeforethepresidingjudge, MichaelHanzman.Racketeeringandciviltheftchargeswereaddedtothelatest amendedcomplaintearlierthisyear,oneofthemanytwistsintheinternecinedispute thatcentersaroundarealestatecompanyScurtisandRodriguezstartedin2003,five yearsbeforeA-Rod’sdivorcefromhiswife,Cynthia,theoldersisterofScurtis.
ThelawsuithassurvivedRodriguez’snumerousmotionstodismissovertheyears,and therehasbeenarevolvingdoorofjudgesoverseeingtheproceedingsuntilHanzman tookoverinlate2020.ThisyearalonehasalreadyseenScurtishireanentirenewlegal team,includingseveralformerfederalprosecutors,whileRodriguezbroughtaboard BenjaminBrodskyandAlainaFotiu-WojtowicztojoinlongtimecounselJohnLukacsSr.
Hanzmanhasbeenno-nonsenseeversinceheassumedthecase,andoneofhisfirst orderswastoestablishAugust2asafirmtrialstartdate,althoughthathassince changed.HanzmanhasalsosteeredawayfromanyofRodriguez’scheckeredpast, includingtheformerYankeeslugger’sperformance-enhancingdrugtiesorhispast maritalinfidelities.Earlierthissummer,Hanzmanquashedtheplaintiff’ssubpoena directedatMajorLeagueBaseball,whichcouldhaveallowedScurtis’legalteamtodelve intoRodriguez’sPEDpast.
MorerecentlythejudgedeniedScurtis’motiontoseekpunitivedamages,alegalblow thatwasa180-degreeturnfromthespringof2020,whenthenpresidingjudge,Mariade JesusSantoveniasignedanordersayingtheopposite.JudgeHanzmannotonlydenied Scurtisseekingpunitivedamages,buttooktheopportunityinhiswrittenordertoblast thecivilmatterasa“distastefuldispute.”
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AtthecruxofthelegalwarisScurtis’allegationthathewasforcedoutofthecompanyin 2008,whenRodriguezwasdivorcingCynthia.ScurtisaccusesRodriguezofbreachof fiduciarydutyandunjustenrichment,amongothercountsinthecomplaint,andScurtis allegesthatpropertiesweresoldwithouthisauthorityandwithoutScurtisbeing compensated.Therearealsoallegationsofmortgageandinsurancefraudcommittedby Rodriguezandtheotherdefendants.
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BothRodriguez,46,andScurtishavebeendeposed,somethingRodriguezhadmanaged toavoidinhispreviouslegalentanglements,includingwhenhesuedtheYankees’team doctorduringtheBiogenesisdopingscandalin2013.Whenthedefensecounselinthat casewassettodeposeRodriguez,theformerYankeedroppedthelawsuit.
AlthoughRodriguez’sdepositioninthiscaseremainsconfidential,portionsofhisthreedayinterviewwithScurtis’attorneyssurfacedinarecentpublicZoomhearing,andone ofScurtis’counsel,ConstantineEconomides,wentasfarastosuggestthatRodriguez “perjuredhimself”duringoneportionofthedeposition,whenRodriguezgaveconflicting testimony.
EconomidesalsosaidthatduringRodriguez’sdepositiontestimony,Rodriguez characterizedScurtisas“ineptatrunningthisrealestateventure,”andthatRodriguez was“sometimesgettingangryat(Scurtis’)counsel”duringthedepositionand“calling counsel‘cute.’”
Therehasbeennoindicationthatanysettlementisintheworks,andHanzmanvoiced hisfrustrationwiththemediationeffortsinaZoomhearingearlierthissummer.
“It’salittlebitdisconcertingtomethatthesetwoformerrelativeswhowereinbusiness togetherforsolonghavebeenunabletoresolvetheirbusinessdifferencesthemselves,” saidHanzman.
HanzmanalsotookissuewithScurtisfilingfor13derivativeclaimsearlyin2021,andthe judgegrantedamotionforsummaryjudgmentonthatissueinanAugust19hearing, disposingoftheclaimswithprejudice.Scurtiscanappealthatdecision.Hanzman expressedhisdoubtsabouttheracketeeringclaimduringthatsamehearing,suggesting thatScurtis’counselshould“haveacometoJesus”withtheirclient.
“Ireallyappreciatecreativelawyering.You’retestingmylimits,Igottatellyou,”
HanzmantoldScurtis’attorneys,referringtothecivilRICOclaim.“Atsomepoint,that mayverywellbackfireonyou.Thisisoneofthemostabusedstatutesincivillitigation... I’vealreadysaidIhavealotofproblemswiththisclaim.”
IfthecasegoestotrialonScurtis’directclaimsonly,Rodriguezstillstandstolosea chunkofhisfortuneifhe’sfoundguiltybyajury.Scurtismustnowdecideifthatisthe routehewilltake.Hanzmanhassaidthatallparties—includingRodriguez—must attendeverydayoftheproceedingsoncethetrialbegins.
“Ifyoulookatmyfinaljudgmentonderivative,andyousay,‘Look,theoddsareit’snot gettingreversedanyway,plus,ifitdoes,ourclientgets5%oftherecovery,sotogethim $1million,we’vegottoget$20millioninthiscase,’andyou’drathergototrialondirect claims,thenwe’resetfortrial,”HanzmantoldScurtis’counsel.“AssoonasIcangeta juryinhere,andwegetthismaskmandateoverwith,I’mcallingyouin.That’sthe landscape.”
I am an award-winning sports investigative reporter who spent 16 years at the New York Daily News, and who has written for ESPN, USA... Read More
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