Today in Appeals Court in Sacramento lawyers representing the Town of Mammoth Lakes and Hot Creek developers will mammoth_airportsquare off in oral arguments in the appeal of a jury verdict that said Mammoth was guilty of breaking a development agreement and has to pay a $30 million judgment.

The law firm of Morrison and Forrester will represent the Town of Mammoth. They are special counsel on airport matters. Town Manager Rob Clark will also attend the hearing.

Both sides had earlier filed briefs, and it was believed that the League of California Cities and State Association of Counties had filed support briefs on the Town’s behalf.

A Mono County jury found for Hot Creek in a 2008 trial. The verdict found that Mammoth had broken an agreement with Hot Creek Aviation over a real estate development at the Mammoth Yosemite Airport.

The $30 million judgment caused the Town’s credit rating to plummet and it hangs over the community’s head as a major financial threat.

No decision was expected today. Town Manager Clark said that the Appeals Court judges have 90 days to render a decision on the Town’s appeal.

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