Raiders V. NFL: Jury Instructed; Closing Arguments Today

The Raiders' $1B L.A. Superior Court lawsuit against the NFL "inched toward resolution" yesterday as Judge Richard Hubbell issued instructions to the jury, according to Alan Abrahamson of the L.A. TIMES. Hubbell explained to jurors that the Raiders were "pressing five claims stemming from the collapse of a 1995 proposal to build a stadium" at Hollywood Park. Hubbell also "read aloud the league's rebuttal that it did nothing wrong under the law." Abrahamson reports, "according to the instructions," the Raiders say "the league did not abide by" the NFL constitution, a valid contract. Abrahamson also reports that it took an hour for Hubbell to "plow through 100 separate instructions." Abrahamson notes since the lawsuit is civil in nature, not criminal, it will take a 9-3 jury vote, not a unanimous one, for the team to prevail. The Raiders' burden of proof is a "preponderance," or 50.1% of the evidence (L.A. TIMES, 4/26). The AP's Danny Pollock noted the judge denied the league's motion for dismissal, and added that final arguments will begin today (AP, 4/25).