Trial Date Set for Museum Merger Suit

A judge on Thursday set a March 10 trial date in the closely watched lawsuit seeking to overturn the recent merger of the Newport Harbor and Laguna art museums.

Superior Court Judge Raymond J. Ikola in Santa Ana also denied a request by the consolidated Orange County Museum of Art to dismiss the suit, instead granting merger opponents more time to prepare their arguments.

“Despite the heat and fury generated in this case so far, the case is still young,” Ikola wrote in a court brief.

However, Ikola also ordered a pretrial settlement conference, saying he thinks the case “begs for settlement.” Ikola has twice denied requests to overturn the merger, saying that the Motivated Museum Members opposition group failed to support its claims it was done improperly.

Both sides said Thursday that they are willing to discuss a settlement. But opposition group President Vern Spitaleri, who has vowed to proceed until autonomy is returned to the Laguna Art Museum, said, “We think we have a very strong case.”

Shelley M. Liberto, attorney for the Orange County Museum of Art, said he will try again to have the case dismissed.

Opponents’ “delay in challenging the merger,” finalized in July, “has made it impossible to reverse the merger without doing irreparable harm to the art community,” Liberto said. “Newport Harbor Art Museum has been dissolved, and the new museum has received donations of art and money.”