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The legal teams for New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will meet in person Thursday for a status conference to discuss the league's motion for a stay of discovery filed connected to Vilma's defamation lawsuit against Goodell.


New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma (51) continues his legal fight with the NFL on Thursday.

The conference is scheduled to take place in the chambers of U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Knowles in downtown New Orleans.

Peter Ginsberg, Vilma's lawyer, has already requested to depose Goodell on Oct. 23 and obtain documents of evidence connected to the alleged bounty program from the commissioner by Oct. 11. Ginsberg has also subpoenaed former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, former Saints defensive assistant Mike Cerullo and Joe Hummel, former NFL lead investigator in the bounty allegations.

The NFL is trying to halt all of Vilma's requests because whether the case will proceed or not as the league's motion to dismiss the defamation lawsuit still remains unresolved.

Ginsberg wrote in Tuesday's opposition to the stay of discovery that Vilma has been waiting nearly seven months to redress the wrongs done to him by Goodell.

"To further the efforts to restore his good name, Vilma recently served discovery demands on Goodell and various third-parties," Ginsberg wrote in the opposing motion. "Goodell now seeks to delay having to answer for his misconduct by requesting a stay of discovery. Vilma complied with all statutory requirements in propounding his discovery demands and there is no basis to grant Goodell's motion to stay discovery."

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