Appeals Court Sets June 3 Hearing On Lockout Fight

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A federal appeals court has agreed to a speeded-up schedule to hear the NFL's appeal of the order that lifted the lockout a week ago.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis announced the schedule Tuesday. The court set a June 3 hearing, with 30 minutes of oral argument for each side before Judges Duane Benton, Kermit Bye and Steven Colloton.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson issued her injunction stopping the lockout last week. The league appealed to the 8th Circuit, and the same three-judge panel issued a temporary stay of Nelson's order on Friday.

The lockout was put back in place by the owners a few hours later. The 8th Circuit is still deciding whether to make the stay more permanent.

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