SUPERIOR COURT GRANTS LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS PROTECTION FROM EL SEGUNDO LAWSUIT DISCOVERY

(Los Angeles, CA – January 27, 2000) A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has granted a temporary order protecting Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) from fulfilling the City of El Segundo’s demands to inspect documents, made in connection with a lawsuit filed by El Segundo, until questions concerning the propriety of the lawsuit are decided at a March 6 hearing.

LAWA filed the motion for temporary protective order January 5, 2000, describing El Segundo’s discovery requests as "unduly burdensome in light of the questionable nature of the lawsuit." LAWA’s motion also argued that, rather than first spend numerous staff hours and expenses researching and producing documents, it would be more reasonable to first find out whether the case should proceed at all.

The January 24 ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Wendell Mortimer, Jr., indicates the court’s view that El Segundo’s demands for the immediate inspection of documents posed an "undue burden" in terms of staff hours and materials costs. Therefore, the Court granted LAWA’s motion to postpone discovery requests until after a decision is reached by the

Court concerning a pending demurrer by which LAWA is seeking to dismiss all of El Segundo’s claims. If the court sustains LAWA’s demurrer or otherwise strikes some or all of El Segundo’s complaint, the requested discovery will be unnecessary or could otherwise be limited.

El Segundo filed a complaint on November 23, 1999, claiming, among other allegations, that LAWA’s various approvals of construction projects at Los Angeles International Airport violated California Environmental Quality Act requirements. LAWA has argued that El Segundo has no grounds on which to challenge LAWA’s various approvals, and asked the Court to dismiss the case.