Heather Isringhausen Gvillo News
Illinois native Circuit Judge Millett authors ruling on Trump's gag order, partially upholding restrictions
After receiving attention last month for yelling at former President Donald J. Trump’s lawyer for refusing to answer a hypothetical question, Marine native and Circuit Judge Patricia A. Millett delivered an opinion for the U.S. Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit partially upholding his gag order.
Asbestos plaintiffs awarded $19.4M despite gene mutation defense
After defendants raised the BAP1 genetic mutation defense in an asbestos lawsuit, a California judge awarded the plaintiff and his wife $19,449,863 in damages on June 23. Judge Brad Beligman of the Alameda County Superior Court entered a judgment for plaintiffs Antonia and Raquel Perez and against Universal Fleet Supply, an auto parts supply company, following a general civil court trial.
Asbestos defense attorney on FACT Act: 'Nobody should be against transparency'
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Asbestos defense attorneys in Madison County, Ill., a hotbed for such lawsuits, favor the transparency offered by a legislation recently passed by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee that is designed to target asbestos litigation abuse.
Database provides insight into how much Madison County asbestos claims are worth
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series examining evidence submitted in Garlock Sealing Technologies’ bankruptcy proceeding that was recently unsealed as a result of Legal Newsline’s legal challenge.
St. Louis attorney helps craft genetic mutation defense in asbestos cases
ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) - A defense attorney at HeplerBroom has joined a handful of lawyers nationwide who are introducing a genetic mutation defense in asbestos litigation.
Ill. steel mill removes class action to federal court
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - A Granite City, Ill., steel mill has removed to federal court a putative class action lawsuit alleging five plaintiffs were driven from their home due to emissions from the mill.
FACT Act of 2015 introduced in U.S. House
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – On Monday, U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, introduced the Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency (FACT) Act of 2015 in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it was then sent to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.
Any exposure theory rejected in asbestos lung cancer case
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) – An Illinois federal judge has barred a plaintiff alleging asbestos-induced lung cancer from relying on the any exposure theory at trial.
Shein Law Center fights to have RICO case against it moved to Philadelphia federal court
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – An asbestos plaintiffs firm named in one of the racketeering cases filed by Garlock Sealing Technologies believes the debtor’s objections to a venue transfer improperly seek to attribute unrelated facts to each individual RICO case.
Five-day asbestos exposure could have been substantial cause of asbestosis, La. appeals court rules
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) – A Louisiana appeals court ruled that an asbestos claimant provided sufficient evidence that his five-day asbestos exposure could have been a substantial contributing factor to his asbestosis.
N.Y. asbestos judge refuses to change controversial punitive damages order
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – Days after receiving a lot of heat for her punitive damages order in the New York City Asbestos Litigation court, Judge Sherry Klein Heitler denied several motions opposing her April decision to allow punitive damages in asbestos cases.
Del. judge rejects Union Pacific's claim-splitting argument in asbestos case
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) – A Delaware judge has held that a plaintiff is allowed to bring two separate asbestos actions making the same allegations against different defendants years apart without violating the claim-splitting doctrine.
Napoli says former employee's claims to asbestos case fees are 'nonsense'
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – Prominent asbestos attorney Paul Napoli says a lawsuit filed by a former Napoli Bern Ripka Shkolnik LLP employee in a California state court on Dec. 12 is “nonsense.”
AM General wins Del. asbestos case
WILMINGTON, Del. (Legal Newsline) – A Delaware federal court has granted summary judgment to a defendant in an asbestos lawsuit, concluding the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence establishing that the decedent worked with the defendant’s products.
Wash. Product Liability Act relies on specific defendant exposures, appeals court rules
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) – A Washington appeals court has ruled against an asbestos claimant attempting to overcome the Washington Product Liability Act by lumping all asbestos exposure together rather than focusing on exposures attributable to each defendant.
Expedited trial granted in mesothelioma case
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – A California appeals court has held that an expedited trial was necessary in an asbestos personal injury case, vacating the lower court’s order rejecting an earlier trial date.
Defendants oppose asbestos MDL’s suggestion to remand punitive damages claims
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) – Several asbestos defendants in the asbestos multidistrict litigation court are opposing Judge Eduardo Robreno’s recent suggestion to remand cases back to their transferor courts without severing punitive damages requests.
Garlock: Judge finds no 'misconduct' or 'injustice' that justifies reviewing landmark decision
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – During a hearing on Thursday addressing a motion to reopen the Garlock Sealing Technologies estimation record, Judge George Hodges concluded that it none of the arguments raised by a committee representing asbestos personal injury claimants would change the overall outcome of the case or his ultimate decision
Garlock: Hodges won't reopen estimation proceeding
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – On Thursday, Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges refused to reopen the estimation proceeding in the Garlock Sealing Technologies bankruptcy case, denying a motion filed by the Official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants that challenged his original $125 million ruling.
‘Rammed through’ Illinois asbestos bill could face constitutional challenge; Critics say it could impose unending liability
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Legal Newsline) – While the trial lawyer lobby is likely cheering over passage of a bill that lifts a 10-year statute of repose for the filing of asbestos litigation, critics say the group wielded its influence to rush an unstudied bill through a lame duck session before a tort reform-minded governor takes office next month.