Howard Schultz seeks change in his Sonics trial

Splitting lawsuit would delay NBA's role in case By GREG JOHNS P-I REPORTER Faced with the potential legal might of the NBA, former Sonics chairman Howard Schultz filed a motion Thursday asking Judge Marsha Pechman to split his lawsuit against Clay Bennett's ownership group into two parts. Schultz's attorney, Richard Yarmuth, filed a motion to "bifurcate" the suit into separate trials that would first determine whether Bennett's group was guilty of fraud, breach of contract or negligent misrepresentation before moving to a second phase to decide a legal remedy should Schultz succeed in the initial pursuit. The maneuver is partially in response to the NBA's motion to intervene in the case, given the league's insistence that it be involved in any transfer of ownership. Additionally, NBA commissioner David Stern has made it... [read full story]