Overview
- Judge Michael Romero held a sealed hearing July 14 and the bankruptcy court filed a summary of his pretrial rulings July 15 that set the scope of evidence for the Aug. 31 trial.
- The court said it may allow expert witnesses only to rebut Sanders’ self-defense claim by testifying about whether the force used was reasonable.
- Records from Sanders’ time at the Letot juvenile detention facility in Texas were largely excluded but documents that contain party admissions may be admitted.
- Requests by Sanders to limit inquiry into his prior and later disciplinary history, certain state agency records, and the timeframe of discovery were denied without prejudice so the judge can revisit them later.
- The upcoming trial will decide whether the 2022 $11.89 million default judgment against Sanders is nondischargeable under the narrow legal standard for a willful and malicious injury, a decision that will determine whether his Chapter 7 filing from October 2023 can erase the debt and affect his finances and public profile.