Anti-trust lawsuit against NFL gets another judge

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The federal antitrust lawsuit filed by players against the NFL has been reassigned to a third judge.

The case first went to U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle in Minnesota last Friday. Kyle recused himself for unspecified reasons and it was reassigned to Judge Patrick Schiltz. On Monday, Schiltz cited a conflict of interest because he represented the NFL in several cases as a private practice attorney. The case then went to Judge Susan Richard Nelson.

Deb Bell, interim division manager in the court clerk's office in Minneapolis, says cases are randomly assigned by computer.

The case may still be reassigned. The players want the case before Judge David Doty, who has overseen NFL labor matters since the early 1990s. Bell says that would be up to the judges to decide.