Alabama Supreme Court justices issued two orders March 30 concerning an ongoing court case between Gov. Bob Riley’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling and Macon County’s VictoryLand casino.
The court denied the task force’s motion to stay an injunction issued by Circuit Judge Tom Young since the case is still “pending in the trial court.”
Young set a hearing on the injunction for April 8.
“We assume a ruling on the motion will be made at that time or immediately thereafter,” the Supreme Court’s order stated.
Seconds after the first ruling, the Supreme Court released a second order setting an expedited briefing schedule to ensure the rest of the case be heard in a timely manner.
A series of motions, temporary restraining orders and injunctions by VictoryLand casino attorneys have prevented a task force raid, but the battle has raged on in Young’s courtroom without resolution.
Riley said he is pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision, which he said “is moving the case along and expediting our appeal.”
“It is encouraging that the Supreme Court wants to go forward with this case and has set such an aggressive briefing schedule,” task force Commander John Tyson said in a press release. “The unprecedented order by Judge Young preventing state troopers from enforcing the law cannot be allowed to stand. The Supreme Court’s order should allow for a rapid resolution of the task force’s appeal.”
The high court gave the task force until April 7 to file its brief. VictoryLand is to file its brief by April 14. Then the task force has until April 19 to respond.
Tyson said if Young doesn’t grant the task force’s stay motion, then it will immediately re-file the case in the high court.
“The Supreme Court’s order will allow Judge Young the chance to fix the mess that he created,” he said.
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