The Supreme Court today scheduled a special oral argument for the high-profile and fast-track case that will decide the fate of California’s redevelopment agencies — California Redevelopment Association v. Matosantos. The court posted its November calendar two weeks ago, but it has now ordered a hearing in the redevelopment case on November 10, the day after it finishes its regularly scheduled calendar.
When the court agreed in August to hear the redevelopment writ petition, it said that the expedited briefing schedule it then set was “designed to facilitate oral argument as early as possible in 2011, and a decision before January 15, 2012.” Because additional briefs were still being filed Monday and today, and because the court gives at least 20-days’ notice of oral arguments, this certainly seems like an as-early-as-possible argument. Also, it’s likely that the court will meet the January 15 decision deadline, which is 66 days after the argument, not very much less time than the normal 90 days the court has to issue an opinion after argument.
UPDATE: As with Brinker, the oral argument in the redevelopment case will be televised on the California Channel.