Dennis Rodman to Pay $500,000 in Child Support After Court Order
Hall of Fame basketball star Dennis Rodman has been ordered to give $500,000 in back child support to his ex-wife and was also found in contempt of court.
The $500,000 figure was reached when both Rodman and his ex-wife, Michelle Rodman, met out of court to discuss the initial $850,000 amount in child support that was first sought by Michelle Rodman's attorney, Mary Ann Noiroux, according to City News Service.
Orange County Superior Court Commissioner Barry Michaelson also warned Rodman during the hearing that he could be sentenced to jail if he fails to pay the child support.
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Linnea Willis, the Hall of Fame player's attorney, explained that Rodman was found in contempt for failing to pay back child support. However, the judge said that this was not an intentional act, as Rodman was paying a lesser amount than what had originally been ordered, according to the Associated Press.
The misunderstanding came about in March 2009 when Rodman did not appear during a hearing in which he was ordered to pay more in child support. It led to Rodman not being properly served the updated court documents.
Michaelson sentenced Rodman to informal probation after mistakenly underpaying the child support. The judge did not sentence Rodman to more hours of community as it became apparent that he had been following the court's orders.
"He's been complying with the court orders ever since he found out the correct information," Willis told AP.
The legal proceedings between Rodman and his ex-wife started in 2004 after Michelle Rodman filed for divorce.
Dennis Rodman was best known for his colorful appearance and his tenacity on the basketball court. During his career he won five NBA championships- three of them with the Chicago Bulls- and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame last year.
