Court To Hear Arguments In Drilling Moratorium Case July 8

29th Jun 2010 21:24

By Tennille Tracy Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The next phase in the legal battle over the Obama administration's drilling moratorium is scheduled to take place July 8, when the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral arguments in the administration's motion to freeze an existing injunction. After U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman blocked the administration's six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling, calling it "heavy handed," the administration asked an appellate court to freeze the judge's decision until an appeal could be decided. Before oral arguments are heard, Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. (HOS) and other companies that challenged the moratorium will file a response to the administration's motion by this Friday. The three judges scheduled to hear oral arguments are W. Eugene Davis, Jerry E. Smith and James L. Dennis. -By Tennille Tracy, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6619; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 29, 2010 16:24 ET (20:24 GMT)