LOS ANGELES, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Jockeys’ Guild officials may appeal a U.S. District judge’s ruling in Los Angeles dismissing a federal lawsuit against a former guild official.
Former guild President L. Wayne Gertmenian and his company, Matrix Capital Associates, were fired from their jobs at the guild in November 2005. The guild sued Gertmenian in federal and state court -- with the federal suit claiming he violated U.S. law through mismanagement of guild finances and accusing him of illegally taking more than $1 million from the guild through Matrix.
The trial had been scheduled for Aug. 14, but U.S. Judge Otis D. Wright, dismissed the suit -- ruling that it could not proceed under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosures Act.
Wright told the guild to pursue its claims in state court. Jockeys’ Guild attorney Tom Kennedy called the ruling “bizarre.”
“We were ready to begin the trial, there was no motion pending before Judge Wright, and he previously denied a motion by Gertmenian seeking a dismissal,” said Kennedy. “Judge Wright made the decision only after he learned the guild had a lawsuit against Gertmenian pending in state court.”
The state court trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 16.
