Nov. 7 Trial Date Set in Angel Case

If the Angels advance to the World Series, they could be on the field one week and in court the next.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter Polos on Tuesday set a trial date of Nov. 7 for the Angels and the city of Anaheim. The city alleges the team violated its stadium lease by changing its name from the Anaheim Angels to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Polos accommodated the Angels’ desire to start the trial after the season but rejected their request for a January date. Angel attorney George Stephan argued the team needed sufficient time to prepare after the season.

“As far as I know, lawyers aren’t playing this season,” Polos said.

Anaheim co-counsel Andy Guilford told Polos he expected the trial to last 25 days, while Stephan projected a 10-day trial.

Polos also scheduled an April 20 conference and ordered both sides to discuss a settlement, a step called “routine” by Sheldon Eisenberg of the Santa Monica law firm Bryan Cave.

Anaheim co-counsel Mike Rubin said 95% of civil cases were settled, although neither side was believed to have discussed settlement since the city filed suit Jan. 5. The condition Rubin informally offered outside court surely would be rejected by the Angels.

“If the name would be Anaheim Angels, all is forgiven,” Rubin said. “We’ll settle the case.”

Angel spokesman Tim Mead declined to comment on Rubin’s suggestion. Owner Arte Moreno claims the Los Angeles name can help the Angels make more money from advertisers and broadcasters.

Stephan said the Angels might ask again to delay the trial date, and Guilford said the city might ask to accelerate the date. Guilford had requested an August trial, in the hope the city would prevail and the team would play under the Anaheim name if it qualified for the playoffs.

A jury would be empowered to award financial compensation, Eisenberg said, but would not be authorized to reverse the name change. Polos would be, although he has twice rejected the city’s requests to do so.

The city has asked the state appellate court to overrule him and forbid the Angels from playing under the Los Angeles name until trial. The Angels are scheduled to file their response today.