Cordero v. Mora
New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division
2009 WL 290538 (2009)
- Written by Steven Pacht, JD
Facts
Wilfredo Cordero (plaintiff) played major-league baseball for 14 years, during which time his salary fluctuated from a high of $6 million per year to a low of $600,000 per year. His last year in major-league baseball was 2005. Cordero and his former wife Wendy Mora (defendant) had one child, for whom Cordero paid child support. The amount Cordero paid changed over time. He initially paid $1,300 weekly, but that obligation was modified downward and upward by court order over the years. In May 2007, Mora moved to enforce an order requiring Cordero to pay $500 weekly and seeking to compel Cordero to pay almost $12,000 in arrears. In response, Cordero claimed he could not pay the arrears or the $500 per week going forward. In support of his request to reduce his child-support obligation, Cordero argued that he no longer played professional baseball and had been able to secure only short-term work at a camp (for which he earned $4,700 between June 21 and August 4, 2007) and a job at a deli (for which he received $8.25 per hour). Cordero further showed he had no 2006 salary and monthly expenses of more than $20,000 and claimed that his only assets were a $100,000 brokerage account and a major-league pension (of an undisclosed amount) that he could not access until age 55. Cordero also cited his child with a subsequent former wife, for whom he had not paid support. The trial court ordered Cordero to pay the arrears and denied his request to reduce future payments, ruling that Cordero failed to submit sufficient financial information and had presented extremely limited evidence about his attempts to find employment or about possible assets that could generate income or be liquidated. The trial court also expressed concern about Cordero’s failure to explain what happened to the millions of dollars he earned playing baseball. Cordero appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Per curiam)
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