UPDATE: New York has yet to respond to Zuffa MMA lawsuit.

On Tuesday, November 15, 2011, attorneys representing Zuffa, LLC (parent company of the UFC) filed a lawsuit in U.S. district court against New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. seeking, among other things, a declaration that New York’s ban on live Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) violates the First Amendment of the Constitution. Attorneys representing New York State have yet to file their answer to Zuffa's complaint.

According to MMA Payout:

Defense counsel for New York has made its appearance and were granted extra time to file its answer to the Zuffa’s lawsuit. The court will allow attorneys for the New York Attorney General and the New York County District Attorney until January 11, 2012 to respond.

I would also suggest taking some time to listen to this interview with Luke Thomas of SB Nation, Barry Friedman and Jamie Levitt (who head up Zuffa's legal team) as they discuss the details of the suit.

I highly suggest everyone take the time to read the full complaint. More than the voice of an exiled NY MMA community, it is a critical educational piece for non-fans.  Yes, it is 106 pages (excluding exhibits), but it will be worth it.  If you need some legal clarifications, I urge you to read Jim Genia’s breakdown of the complaint.  For some in depth discussion of the suit, listen to this episode of the Darce Side Radio where Jim Genia and Peter Lampasona of US Combat Sports sit in live to discuss the suit and what it means for NY.

Related NYMMANOW post: UFC spearheaded lawsuit: Can a Zuffa change its spots for the benefit of New York MMA?