[NoSoup4U]

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Wow, that seems like a long time to settle a gambling debt...I assume Gold doesn't have to pay taxes on the part that was frozen? Any chance they strike a deal between now and the prospective trial date?

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The wheels of justice turn slowly. Gold's position is that he has no deal with Leyser -- it was just a promise of a gift.

There is always a chance that they will settle. The system is absolutely designed to encourage that. It might not settle if one side is convinced that they will certainly prevail. The most frequent time for a case like this to settle is between discovery and trial, so March-April time frame for that.

The question of tax liability is an interesting and complex one. I really don't know what the answer is. It seems to me that if Gold's position is that it is his money, he owes taxes on it. The fact that it is tied up in litigation is not going to change that.

I also think there is a pretty good chance that the court releases the $6 million that Harrah's is currently holding to Gold. In essence, Leyser's argument is that if the court lets Gold get to the money, he might spend it all. That usually isn't good enough to persuade the court to tie up the money. Defendants usually get to do what they wish with their money until the plaintiff wins.

If the court lets Gold get the cash, Leyser might be more inclined to settle. After all, the lawyers are eating up a lot of the potential money.