A ruling in the Raiders' $1.1B lawsuit "prompted claims
of victory Thursday from Coliseum officials, who say they
will file a new motion to throw out the entire case,"
according to David Holbrook of the CONTRA COSTA TIMES.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Joe Gray this week "threw
out portions of the Raiders' lawsuit accusing Network
Associates Coliseum officials of fraudulently luring the
team back to Oakland" in '95. Gray "upheld other elements
of the team's case, but attorneys for Coliseum officials
said the ruling encourages them to return with another
motion to rebut those arguments as well." But attorneys for
the Raiders "also claimed victory, calling the city and
county's analysis misleading." Team attorney Ken Hausman
noted that Gray's ruling allows them to "proceed with
allegations that Coliseum officials are guilty of fraud,
misrepresentation or a mistake for promising the team a
sold-out stadium" (CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 7/14). Gray ruled
that the Raiders "cannot collect damages from the city and
county for bad faith and unfair" dealings. Gray cited state
law requiring such claims be brought within a year of the
injury (S.F. CHRONICLE, 7/14). But in Oakland, Laura Counts
notes that Gray "partly reversed his tentative ruling of
last month, deciding the Raiders could continue claiming
they were misled in moving back to Oakland by fraud,
misrepresentation or mistake. Previously he had thrown out
the mistake claim" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 7/14).
