Donald Sterling loses court battle to prevent sale of Clippers

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Former Clippers owner Donald Sterling gestures while attending a game between the Clippers and Lakers in December 2011. Sterling lost his legal fight to prevent the sale of the Clippers after remarks he made about blacks led to a lifetime ban from the NBA.

(Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)

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Donald Sterling speaks to reporters during a 1981 news conference to announce he had purchased the San Diego Clippers. Sterling purchased the franchise for $13.5 million and moved the team to Los Angeles in 1984. (Lenny Ignelzi / Associated Press)

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Donald Sterling smiles during a 1981 news conference introducing him as the new owner of the San Diego Clippers. Sterling bought the team for $13.5 million and moved the franchise to Los Angeles in 1984. (John McDonough / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers owner Donald Sterling attends a game at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in 1997. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)

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Donald Sterling attends the “California Gold Star Awards” dinner gala and auction at the Disneyland Hotel in April 2003. (Robert Mora / Getty Images)

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Clippers owner Donald Sterling waves while sitting next his wife, Shelly, during a playoff game between the Clippers and Phoenix Suns at Staples Center in May 2006. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers owner Donald Sterling looks on during a game against the Denver Nuggets at Staples Center in 2006. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

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Clippers owner Donald Sterling greets Iraq War veteran Greg Valentini during halftime of a game between the Clippers and Washington Wizards in March 2011. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Clippers owners Donald Sterling and Shelly Sterling attend a charity event in Malibu in August 2009. (Michael Bezjian / WireImage)

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Clippers owner Donald Sterling smiles while sitting courtside during a game against the San Antonio Spurs in 2009 at Staples Center. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)

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Clippers owner Donald Sterling sits next to friend V. Stiviano during a preseason game between the Clippers and Lakers in December 2010. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press)

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Clippers owner Donald Sterling watches his team play during an October 2010 game at Staples Center. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Clippers owners Shelly and Donald Sterling attend a game against the Detroit Pistons in November 2010. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

By Nathan Fenno, Tribune Newspapers

July 28, 2014 3:05 PM PT

Judge Michael Levanas allowed the sale of the Clippers to go forward Monday afternoon, ruling in favor of Shelly Sterling on all three counts in a probate court trial against Donald Sterling.

The ruling in Los Angeles Superior Court included an extraordinary order that essentially renders any appellate court intervention meaningless.

Levanas made the announcement after almost two hours of closing arguments between lawyers for Donald Sterling and Shelly Sterling in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Shelly Sterling wanted the judge to uphold the removal of her husband as trustee of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, on grounds of mental incapacitation. That would clear the way to implement her May agreement to sell the franchise to Steve Ballmer for $2 billion.

During the morning’s closing arguments, Max Blecher, an attorney for Donald Sterling, accused Shelly Sterling of “an invidious scheme to strip Donald Sterling of his ownership rights of the Clippers.”

With a raised voice and waving arms, Blecher, calling the situation “unconscionable” and “devious,” described NBA Commissioner Adam Silver as a co-conspirator with Shelly Sterling.

Pierce O’Donnell, representing Shelly Sterling, dismissed Blecher’s assertion, saying, “This was an argument for the media, not for the court.”

Earlier, O’Donnell put the case in simple terms.

“The doctors certified Donald as incapacitated. That’s the end of the matter,” O’Donnell said.

Twitter @nathanfenno