Players have consolidated their two NBA lockout lawsuits in the Eighth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, the trade association's lawyer David Boies announced on Monday. The move involved withdrawing the players' Ninth Circuit anti-trust and filing an amended lawsuit in the Eighth. The Ninth Circuit (California) had been seen as potentially more useful for players, but Boies cited a slimmer docket in Minnesota, where the Eighth Circuit suit will be heard, as a rationale.
The league has until December 5 to respond to the players' claims. It is pretty clear in what form that response will take; in August, the league sued players and the players' association in an attempt to prevent dissolution of the union, arguing that it was a "sham." There has been little movement on that case, which is being heard in the Second Circuit.
Just after Boies' announcement, the NBA released a short statement from general counsel Rick Buchanan alleging that the players had been illegitimately shopping for a favorable district court judge. After the statement was released, Boies told reporters that the terse response was an indication of why he won't be picking up the phone and calling the owners to negotiate.
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Well they've put it all in the hands of lawyers now
I’ve dealt with lawyers and they have an agenda other than thier clients interests, a simple one.
Billable hours. That’s not cynical, it’s a bare truth of the conversations that go on at any firm every day no matter how big or small. Lawyers are judged in thier firms by billable hours in cases like this where they clearly don’t see an actual $ damage settlement coming that they would get a piece of.
The season may die because the lawyers will certainly want to milk this cow for all they can while quoting step by step legal procedures that ‘must’ be accomplished first.
Bank on it.
"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake."
- Chessmaster Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower
by lietothegirls on Nov 22, 2011 2:16 PM EST reply actions
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