NASCAR-Mayfield case to continue

A U.S. District Court judge has turned down NASCAR's request to halt the pre-trial discovery phase in a lawsuit brought against the sanctioning body by suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield. NASCAR had asked for the suspension of the investigative phase of the case until a judge can rule on a NASCAR motion for a judgment based on pleadings already submitted. The decision, issued Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen, means that depositions and production of documents will not be delayed because of the NASCAR request. The judge still needs to rule on the motion for judgment itself. In another ruling issued Monday, the judge set the date for a deposition of NASCAR Chairman Brian France for Jan. 19. The judge also ruled as moot requests by NASCAR and France's ex-wife Megan France, that they not be forced to produce documents under seal in litigation between her and Brian because Mayfield's attorneys indicated they would not seek those documents. He did grant a motion stipulating that in Megan France's deposition, she cannot be asked about the documents in that lawsuit or about the divorce agreement. SceneDaily