Hearing on Admittance Policies of Club Delayed

An irritated administrative law judge on Friday postponed a hearing into the admittance policies of Vertigo--one of Los Angeles’ trendiest nightclubs--when he was forced to wait 30 minutes while members of the opposing parties gave television interviews outside his courtroom.

The proceeding had been scheduled to hear a complaint filed by the state Office of Alcohol Beverage Control alleging that undercover investigators were unfairly made to wait while other customers were allowed inside the downtown nightclub.

Nightclub owner Jim Colachis has acknowledged that Vertigo does not adhere to a first-come, first-serve system, but he maintains that the ABC does not have authority to regulate the club’s entrance policies.

Judge Ronald Gruen said the two sides seemed more interested in discussing the case with reporters than in getting down to business. “The attorneys,” he said, “should have finished their business with the media and come prepared to proceed with the hearing.”