In-debted Leigh Steinberg denies hiding from court

SANTA ANA, Calif. - "Show me the money" indeed: A bench warrant has been authorized for the sports agent who was the inspiration for the movie "Jerry Maguire" after he failed to appear in court in a case involving a $1.4 million debt.

An Orange County Superior Court commissioner authorized the warrant after Leigh Steinberg failed to attend court last week, court records show.

Court papers show Steinberg was ordered to pay $1.4 million last year to the Irvine Company in a default judgment for office space he leased in Newport Beach. Steinberg stopped paying under the terms of his lease in 2009, according to court papers filed by the landlord, which declined to comment on the case.

Steinberg was the inspiration for Tom Cruise's character in 1996's "Jerry Maguire," which turned "Show me the money!" into an enduring catchphrase, though Steinberg isn't actually known for using that phrase.

Steinberg said he's not hiding or running from the law. He said he has an office open for business in Irvine and thousands of friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter.

Steinberg tells CBS' Los Angeles station KCAL that his attorney told him he did not have to appear at the hearing. "I just made the assumption that it was taken care of," says Steinberg. (Click on the player above to see the KCAL interview)

He does not dispute that he owes the rent money for the office he vacated two years ago. He says he took time off to write a couple of books, and the debts piled up. "I didn't realize that they were pursuing me until after they had already gotten a default judgment."

The Irvine Company's attorneys told the court that process servers were unable to make direct contact with Steinberg. He calls the claim ridiculous.

"I have five thousand friends on Facebook, Twitter, I speak all over," says Steinberg. "I've been accessible and available to anyone who wants to reach me."

Steinberg says he is doing his best to take responsibility for his debts, and his attorneys are actively negotiating toward a settlement.

"Have I lived a mistake-free, perfect life? No," Steinberg says. "But I've tried the best I could, especially in my public moments, to inspire."

The 62-year-old agent said he's still representing athletes and acting as a consultant on projects related to sports in movies, television and video games.

The warrant was authorized by Superior Court Commissioner Jane D. Myers. The court would need to receive instructions and fees from the plaintiff, the Irvine Company, for the warrant to become effective.

Steinberg said his financial troubles stem in part from his divorce in 2008. He separated from his wife in 2006.

During the divorce proceedings, Steinberg told the court he had suffered "significant business reversals and losses" that had prompted the couple to refinance the family home, according to papers filed in family court in Orange County.

Since that time, Steinberg has also been sued over allegedly unpaid bills owed to a bank, credit card company, apartment complex and dentist, court records show.

Those amounts were far smaller than the Irvine Company case, including a $6,754 bill from a dentist, the records show.

Earlier this month, the Irvine Company asked the court to require Steinberg to apply a portion of his income stream to pay the judgment, alleging process servers have been unable to directly contact him.

"Steinberg is a semi famous figure with huge apparent notoriety but shows signs of significant recent deterioration," Brooke Brandt, an attorney for the Orange County real estate company, wrote in a Dec. 9 court filing. "He appears to have a phalanx of security protection around him that prevents process servers from gaining access to him unless he allows it."

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 6.

Steinberg is considered the first super agent in sports, having represented such NFL stars as Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Warren Moon and Ben Roethlisberger, as well as boxer Oscar De La Hoya. His resume includes representing eight No. 1 overall NFL draft picks. He began his career in 1975 and was able to secure huge signing bonuses for some of football's biggest stars.