Associated Press 19y

Judge refuses to dismiss key elements in case

Anaheim Angels

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- The city of Anaheim won a round
Wednesday in its legal battle to force the baseball team to stop
calling itself the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

A judge in Orange County rejected the team's request to dismiss
key elements in the city's breach of contract lawsuit over the name
change, which the team announced in January. Superior Court Judge
Peter Polos said the issues should be decided at trial.

"It's a great day for Anaheim. It's a great day for Orange
County and it's a great day for Angels fans,'' said Andrew
Guilford, an attorney for the city. "They were trying to stop the
lawsuit and the court said the lawsuit should go forward.''

Guilford said he will seek a trial date in August and hopes that
before the end of the month an appeals court will rule on the
city's request for an emergency order blocking use of the new name.

An attorney for the Angels, George Stephan, declined comment
outside court, but the team's motion to dismiss three of four
claims in the city's complaint would have gutted Anaheim's lawsuit.

The team, previously known as the Anaheim Angels, has maintained
that the new name would attract more fans, advertisers and
broadcast contracts by emphasizing its connection to Los Angeles,
the nation's second-largest media market.

In January, Polos refused to grant the city a preliminary
injunction blocking the team from using Los Angeles in its name. He
also denied a request for a temporary restraining order after the
city sued the Angels, claiming the name switch would violate the
team's lease of the stadium. The judge said at the time that the
contract requires only that Anaheim be included in the name.

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