Dennis Rodman Sentenced to Community Service for Lack of Child Support Payments

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman -- who was well known around town for his  wild Newport Beach parties -- was sentenced today to 104 hours of community service by an Orange County Superior Court commissioner who's overseeing the basketball Hall of Famer's child and spousal support dispute with his third wife. 

Rodman, 51, was summoned to a contempt of court hearing because he had fallen behind in child and spousal support payments. Attorney Jack Kayajanian, who represents Rodman's ex-wife, Michelle, has said the retired NBA star owes at least $750,000. Rodman's attorney, Linnea N. Willis, has disputed that amount.  

Kayajanian, who is handling the collection of past-due spousal and child support, said Rodman at some point was ordered to pay $50,000 a month and
that his previous attorneys in Florida missed a filing date to challenge it. That order was in place for 14 months, Kayajanian said. 

"The judge acknowledged that today in court,'' Kayajanian said. "He said, `I gave your prior lawyers an opportunity to rectify that judgment, and they didn't do it and you're stuck with it.'''

Willis said the retired NBA star had been unaware of the problem.

"That unfair $50,000-per-month order was set based on income made up by
Ms. Rodman's former lawyers, and was entered without Dennis' knowledge,''
Willis said. Rodman's child and spousal support was lowered in December to $4,500 a month, and he is current on his support payments, his lawyer said.

"Mr. Rodman takes his support obligations very seriously,'' Willis said. "Mr. Rodman is current in his support obligations and will continue to do everything in his power to entertain his fans around the world to continue to meet his support obligations.''

Attorney Mary Ann Noiroux, who also represents Michelle Rodman, is seeking to have the current spousal and child support increased. The former couple is also working on terms of visitation, Noiroux said. Rodman hopes to work with at-risk youth during his community service obligation, Willis said. Probation officials in Florida, where Rodman lives, will have to determine where the retired basketball star can do his community service, Kayajanian said.   

Rodman is also on three years probation, and if he fails to make his support payments, he risks going to jail, Kayajanian said.

"I'm OK with him not going to jail. I just want these kids taken care
of. It's not a vendetta,'' Kayajanian said.   

Rodman also owes Kayajanian $32,500 in attorneys' fees, an amount that
could go up depending on what is decided at the next court hearing, Kayajanian
said. Commissioner Barry Michaelson ordered Rodman to return to court June 22 for a hearing to consider a second contempt of court allegation and to
determine how much money he owes his ex-wife, who lives in Costa Mesa.

The two, who finalized their divorce two weeks ago, have a 10-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son together, Kayajanian said. Noiroux said she has been trying to get Rodman's agent and business manager into court so there can be a more accurate accounting of Rodman's income.

"You can see he's a very busy man flying all over the world,'' Noiroux
said, adding Rodman's agent was quoted as saying recently that the athlete
makes $500,000 to $1 million annually for his appearances. Rodman's ex-wife has faced eviction in the past, but is in better shape financially now, Noiroux said.

"She had several situations where she was basically homeless, she had
no money coming in to her,'' Noiroux said. "She would like to go back to work
very much, but she needs to get back on her feet, and it's been difficult
because Mr. Rodman has not been assisting in taking care of the children.''

-City News Service