Judge denies summary judgement request against World Poker Tour Enterprises

Judge denies summary judgement request against World Poker Tour Enterprises

June 2nd, 2007  |  Posted in Legal News

In
the antitrust lawsuit brought against WPT Enterprises, Inc. by poker
professionals Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Joseph Hachem,
Phil Gordon, Howard Lederer, and Greg Raymer, presiding United States
District Judge Otis D. Wright II handed down a decision today denying
the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by the plaintiffs.

“We are very pleased with Judge Wright’s order denying the Motion
for Summary Judgment,” said WPTE’s General Counsel, Adam Pliska. “We
feel that this decision confirms our contention that this case is
without merit.”

Ferguson, et al had filed a motion for summary judgement earlier
this year, and WPTE filed an Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion on April
12, 2007, to which the plaintiffs filed a Reply Brief. After review of
all submissions and arguments Wright denied the plaintiffs’ Motion for
Summary Judgment.

This development essentially ensures a long stretch of protracted
legal wrangling between the two parties over the issues at hand, and
will likely result in the players involved continuing to choose not to
play in WPT events.

Chris is a writer for and owner of several online poker content sites