Seal judge dismissed; council still set to discuss dredging plan

Judge Yuri Hofmann has reportedly been disqualified from hearing O’Sullivan vs. San Diego, the La Jolla Children’s Pool seal lawsuit. Superior Court Judge Timothy B. Taylor has been assigned to take over.

A court hearing on harbor seals before Hofmann, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 6, has been canceled, according to Cindy Benner, president of La Jolla Friends of the Seals.

Even so, the city council is set to discuss the Children’s Pool/Casa Beach EIR Dredging Project during its meeting that starts Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Bryan Pease, representing the Animal Protection & Rescue League, said it was an action brought by La Jolla attorney Norm Blumenthal of Blumenthal, Nordrehaug & Bhowmik of La Jolla Shores that led to Hofmann’s dismissal from the case.

“What happened here is a new Animal Protection & Rescue League case filed in state court led to a peremptory challenge of the judge (Hofmann),” Pease said.

Calls to the city attorney’s office had not been returned by 2:45 p.m. on Monday.