March 29, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Judge Puts Donald Sterling Case On Hold

Sterling
Shelly Sterling said that she has the right to sell the LA Clippers because her husband is “no longer mentally competent.”

The legal battle over whether Shelly Sterling has authority under a family trust to sell the Los Angeles Clippers was put on hold today, with Donald Sterling filing papers in federal court contending his privacy rights were violated by the disclosure of his medical records to his wife and the public.

A four-day non-jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court was set to begin this morning to determine if Shelly Sterling had acted within her authority when she negotiated a $2 billion deal to sell the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

But Judge Michael Levanas said he could not move forward with the case in light of Donald Sterling’s federal court filing, and delayed the case until this afternoon to see if a U.S. district judge would weigh in on the matter.

However, attorneys for Shelly Sterling, who was in Superior Court this morning, said they have filed a motion of their own to return the case to Levanas.

Shelly Sterling’s attorney, Pierce O’Donnell, agreed with Donald Sterling’s attorneys that the trial could not start without a ruling from the federal court, saying the case was in a “procedural limbo” for now.

However, O’Donnell said he was unhappy with the decision by Donald Sterling’s attorneys to bring the federal court motion.

“I must express our profound objection to this filing,” O’Donnell said.

Attorneys on both sides agreed last week that the Superior Court proceedings would focus on whether Donald Sterling was induced into undergoing mental examinations by two doctors without being told the reason.

But there will be no rebuttal testimony from Donald Sterling’s attorneys challenging the findings by the two physicians that he was mentally incapacitated, which his wife maintains gave her authority to sell the team.

The trial also will deal with whether Sterling’s June 9 revocation of the family trust had any impact on the proposed sale. Shelly Sterling’s lawyers maintain the $2 billion offer from Ballmer was already accepted by her and that her husband’s actions were meaningless.

Levanas had earlier denied a request by Donald Sterling’s attorneys for a short delay in starting the trial. Lawyers for Shelly Sterling and Ballmer maintain that a ruling by Levanas is needed by July 15 so the NBA can consider the proposed sale, in hopes of having the deal finalized by September.

Donald Sterling was banned from the NBA for life earlier this year following the public release of recorded conversations between him and companion V. Stiviano. Sterling is heard on the tape disparaging Stiviano for having her picture taken with black people and telling her not to bring them to Clippers games.

The league announced plans to take action against Sterling to force him to sell the team. But Sterling has since filed a lawsuit against the NBA, alleging violations of his civil rights. He has contended that he was recorded illegally while making emotional remarks during a “lovers’ quarrel” with Stiviano.

Related Posts

Judge to L.A. Leaders: ‘I Am Your Worst Nightmare’ in Scathing Homeless Spending Rebuke

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Carter Warns of Court Intervention if City and County Fail to Fix Broken Systems U.S. District Judge David O. Carter,...

Mayor Karen Bass Texts Sent During the Palisades Fire Have Been Released

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Newly Recovered Texts Were Recovered After Sharp Criticism Over Deletions As wildfires swept through Los Angeles in early January, Mayor...

Serial Fraudster Swindled $18M From Investors in Fake Hemp Ventures

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Feds Seize Ferrari, Real Estate as Judge Jails Beverly Hills ‘Con Man’ Mark Roy Anderson, 70, of Beverly Hills, was...

Music Mogul Convicted, West Hollywood Co-Defendant Heads to Trial

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

West Hollywood Talent Executive Awaits Trial in Multi-Count Kingpin Act ​A federal jury has convicted José Ángel Del Villar, 44,...

Culver City Police Nab Eight in Overnight Burglary, Series of Drug Arrests

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Two Arrested for Burglary, Six More Booked for Narcotics  Culver City Police made a series of arrests in the last...

LAPD Sets Weekend DUI Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols Across West Los Angeles

March 28, 2025

March 28, 2025

Checkpoints Begin Friday, March 28; Patrols to Follow Throughout the Weekend Officials announced that the Los Angeles Police Department will...

Film Review: A Working Man

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

By Dolores Quintana A Working Man is the second collaboration between director David Ayer and actor Jason Statham, in which...

Cocktail Season Arrives in Brentwood While Beverly Hills Hosts Wine Dinner Affair

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

Bar Toscana Unveils Spring Cocktails as Nerano Prepares Wine-Paired Feast Bar Toscana is welcoming spring with a lineup of vibrant...

Exclusive Omakase Experience Comes to Beverly Hills for Four Weeks Only

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

Dine Under the Stars: Chef Wei Chen’s Omawei Takes Over The Belvedere Acclaimed chef Wei Chen is set to debut...

Culver City Gets a Taste of Italy with Bernie’s All-Natural Shaved Ice Pop-Up

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

Toasted Meringue Meets Farm-Fresh Granita at Citizen Market  A sweet new addition has arrived just in time for spring at...

Osteria Mamma Rings in 15 Years with New Chef and Tasting Events

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

From Pasta to Pinot: Osteria Mamma Kicks Off Anniversary with Flavor Osteria Mamma, a longtime favorite in Larchmont Village, is...

Green Beans and Beef Sticks Recalled in California Over Contamination Risks

March 27, 2025

March 27, 2025

Officials Warn Consumers to Discard or Return Affected Products The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Del Monte Foods...

Duke’s Malibu Sends Message of Aloha After Mudslide Closure

March 26, 2025

March 26, 2025

We’ll Be Back: Reopening After Natural Disaster Planned Duke’s Malibu, a popular beachfront restaurant on the Pacific Coast Highway, has...

End of an Era: Garcelle Beauvais Announces Departure From RHOBH

March 26, 2025

March 26, 2025

Goodbye, Beverly Hills! Garcelle Beauvais Confirms RHOBH Departure Actress, producer, and star of the famed Beverly Hills-based reality show Garcelle...

‘Cell Phone Theft Capital’? West Hollywood Struggles with Pickpocketing Spike

March 26, 2025

March 26, 2025

Pickpocketing Surges in West Hollywood’s Rainbow District The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department has reported a sharp increase in pickpocket thefts...