Free Response in Opposition to Motion - District Court of Arizona - Arizona

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Ray K. Harris, # 007408 FENNEMORE CRAIG, P.C. 3003 N. Central Ave., Suite 2600 Phoenix, AZ 85012-2913 (602) 916-5414 Edward R. Garvey, admitted pro hac vice GARVEY McNEIL & McGILLIVRAY 634 W. Main Street, Suite 101 Madison, WI 53703 (608) 256-1003 Attorneys for Defendants Harlem Globetrotters Int' l, Inc. and Mannie L. & Catherine Jackson UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF ARIZONA MEADOWLARK LEMON, et al., Plaintiffs, vs. HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS INTERNATIONAL, INC., et al.; Defendants. DEFENDANTS' OPPOSITION TO PLAINTIFFS' JOINT IN LIMINE MOTION TO EXCLUDE DEFENDANTS' TESTIMONY AS TO PLAINTIFFS' CONTRACTUAL INTENT Nos. CV-04-0299 PHX DGC and CV-041023 PHX DGC

Defendants GTFM, LLC ("GTFM" or "FUBU"), Harlem Globetrotters International, Inc. ("HGI") and Mannie L. and Catherine Jackson (collectively referred to as "Defendants") submit this opposition to Plaintiffs' Joint In Limine Motion to Exclude Defendants' Testimony As to Plaintiffs' Contractual Intent (Doc. # 488) ("Plaintiffs' Motion"). Plaintiffs' Motion asks the Court to "enter an order stating that Defendants' testimony as to the intent of the parties to Plaintiffs' employment contracts be excluded." Pls' Mot. at 2. This broad prohibition is unwarranted by the rules of evidence and the facts of this case and should not be granted.
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PHX/RHARRIS/1858980.1/43458.007

Case 2:04-cv-00299-DGC

Document 538

Filed 11/22/2006

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As an initial matter, it is Defendants' position that the contracts Plaintiffs signed as Globetrotters players ("the player contracts") are unambiguous, such that any extrinsic evidence as to the parties' intent is unnecessary and inadmissible. Leikvold. v. Valley View Comm. Hosp., 141 Ariz. 544, 548, 688 P.2d 170 (1984). Even if extrinsic evidence is appropriate, however, Plaintiffs cannot prohibit Defendants from presenting all extrinsic evidence as to Plaintiffs' intent. As Plaintiffs themselves point out, "extrinsic evidence includes testimony regarding the circumstances in which the contract was written, and the subsequent conduct of the parties." Pls' Mot. at 1 (emphasis added). Thus, regardless of whether the team' current owners were s present when the contracts were signed, HGI witnesses can still testify to Plaintiffs' subsequent conduct and other circumstantial evidence since they assumed ownership. Furthermore, HGI CEO Mannie Jackson was, at various times between 1961 and 1965, a Harlem Globetrotters player and representative. Jackson Aff. ¶ 4 (Doc. # 204). His tenure as a Globetrotter overlapped with some Plaintiffs' time as players, including Robert Hall, Meadowlark Lemon, and Fred Neal. HGI SOF ¶ 7 (Doc. # 196). Mr. Jackson may thus legitimately testify regarding statements Plaintiffs made during this period of overlap and provide other extrinsic evidence regarding Plaintiffs' intent. Finally, Defendants have contended throughout this litigation that Plaintiffs' current challenges to their player contracts, decades after they were signed, are prejudicial to Defendants and thus barred by laches. E.g., HGI' Resp. to the Neal Pls' s Mot. for SJ at 15 (Doc. # 259). If anyone should be prohibited from presenting evidence of their contractual intent, it is Plaintiffs. Based on the foregoing, Defendants respectfully request that Plaintiffs' Motion be denied in its entirety. ... ... ...
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PHX/RHARRIS/1858980.1/43458.007

Case 2:04-cv-00299-DGC

Document 538

Filed 11/22/2006

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RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED this 22nd day of November, 2006. By: s/ Ira S. Sacks_________________ By: s/ Edward R. Garvey____________ Ira S. Sacks, admitted pro hac vice Edward R. Garvey, admitted pro hac vice Safia A. Anand, admitted pro hac vice Christa Westerberg, admitted pro hac vice DREIER LLP GARVEY McNEIL & 499 Park Avenue McGILLIVRAY, S.C. New York, NY 10022 634 W. Main St. #101 Telephone: 212-328-6100 Madison, WI 53703 Facsimile: 212-328-6101 Telephone: 608-256-1003 [email protected] Facsimile: 608-256-0933 [email protected] Joel L. Herz, Esq. State Bar No. 015105 Law Offices of Joel L. Herz 3573 East Sunrise Drive, Suite 215 Tucson, AZ 85718 Telephone: 520-529-8080 Facsimile: 520-529-8077 [email protected] Attorneys for Defendant GTFM, LLC Ray K. Harris, # 007408 FENNEMORE CRAIG, P.C. 3003 N. Central Ave., Suite 2600 Phoenix, AZ 85012-2913 Telephone: 602-916-5000 Facsimile: 602-916-5999 [email protected] Attorneys for Defendants Harlem Globetrotters Int' Inc. and Mannie l, L. & Catherine Jackson

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 1. I hereby certify that on November 22, 2006, a true and correct copy of Defendants' Opposition to Plaintiffs' Joint In Limine Motion To Exclude Defendants' Testimony As to Plaintiffs' Contractual Intent was electronically transmitted to the Clerk' Office using the CM/ECF System for filing and transmittal of a Notice of s Electronic Filing to the following CM/ECF registrants: Safia A Anand [email protected] Florence M Bruemmer [email protected] Edward R Garvey [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Robert Williams Goldwater III [email protected] Ray Kendall Harris [email protected], [email protected] Joel Louis Herz [email protected], [email protected] Alec R Hillbo [email protected], [email protected] Brandon Scott Peters [email protected], [email protected],
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PHX/RHARRIS/1858980.1/43458.007

Case 2:04-cv-00299-DGC

Document 538

Filed 11/22/2006

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[email protected] Anders V Rosenquist , Jr [email protected] Ira S Sacks [email protected] Clay M Townsend [email protected], [email protected]; [email protected] Christa O Westerberg [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 2. I hereby certify that on November 22, 2006, a true and correct copy of the attached document was sent via U.S. Mail, postage paid thereon, to the following parties, at the addresses listed: Keith R. Mitnik Morgan & Morgan, PA 20 N. Orange Ave. Suite 1600 Orlando, FL 32802 s/Melody Tolliver

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PHX/RHARRIS/1858980.1/43458.007

Case 2:04-cv-00299-DGC

Document 538

Filed 11/22/2006

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