DEVELOPING: Judge Says Shelly Sterling Acted "Appropriately"

((HT: MyFoxLA))

Judge Michael Levanas has come down with the opinion/ruling that Shelly Sterling acted appropriately in the decision to challenge her estranged husband's mental state in the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Closing arguments the first of three pending Donald Sterling lawsuits were earlier in the day and Levanas ruled Shelly Sterling, tentatively, has the authority to act for the Sterling Family Trust.

Here's the preview before the decision from the judge
Los Angeles News | FOX 11 LA KTTV

The next deadline for the proposed sale to Steve Ballmer is August 15th- the date of the next NBA owner's meetings. But the sale is still tentative pending all other litigation (which sends us back to the other two Donald Sterling lawsuits).

"We are pleased that the court has affirmed Shelly Sterling’s right to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to Steve Ballmer," said NBA spokesman Mike Bass in a statement. "We look forward to the transaction closing as soon as possible."

Donald Sterling's lead attorney, Bobby Samini, says he was told by his client that he was to keep proceeding in other legal activites and "keep fighting on other fronts."

Sterling Trial Pushes Back Sale Deadlines

((HT: KABC-TV/LA Times, Panzer-Cook))

The end result of Shelly Sterling returning to the stand in the Donald Sterling competency hearing means that the sale completion of the Los Angeles Clippers is pushed back and won't meet the NBA deadlines.

What that means, really, is anyone's guess...

Does it affect the overall sale...? How patient will the league be over time if this drags on...? Will players be as patient as the league may or may not be if this drags out all the way to next season...?

Shelly Sterling described her husband's emotions in and around the time of the sale of the team to Steve Ballmer. Pierce O'Donnell, Shelly's lawyer, trumpeted his client's cause after the hearing.

Naturally...

Here's the latest from outside the courtroom


Judge Michael Levanas said the trial is taking next week off to let Donald Sterling's lawyer, Max Blecher, go on a planned vacation. Closing arguments are scheduled for July 28.

Donald Sterling Does Not Like Doctors Or Lawyers, Shelly Sterling Denied TRO

((HT: MyFoxLA/TMZ.com))

And decided to leave a message to express his displeasure over the guy's appraisal of Sterling's mental state
It was a piece of work...
Los Angeles News | FOX 11 LA KTTV

In an LA Times piece by James Rainey and Nathan Fenno, Donald Sterling apparently also threatened Shelly Sterling's attorney, Pierce O'Donnell. Shelly Sterling claims it got SO bad that she wanted a restraining order from her husband and his representatives.

The judge assigned to the case, Michael Levanas, just asked the two sides to "tone down their communication" between now and the court date. The HQ will hold it's breath on that one...

And O'Donnell was getting the same treatment from Donald Sterling that the doctors were- AT THE SAME TIME:
Donald Sterling seems to be a man of singular focus...

On that same day, records filed Thursday showed, Sterling called his wife's attorney, Pierce O'Donnell. In remarks laced with obscenities, Sterling pledged to divorce his wife and "sue everyone," O'Donnell said in an affidavit.

"He said he did not care about the money it cost or what the claim would be, but that he was going to spend whatever money he has to litigate just to make my life miserable," O'Donnell said. "Mr. Sterling then shouted even louder, and said in a menacing tone, 'I am going to take you out, O'Donnell!'"

Sterling's attorney, Max Blecher, is just shrugging off his client as having a short fuse...