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Calif. court refuses to 'impose limitless liability on premises owners' in asbestos case
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – A California appeals court has concluded that a premises owner did not owe a duty to an employee’s family to warn of asbestos hazards in a case alleging take-home exposure.
Construction companies fined $380K for exposing workers to asbestos
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) – Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries fined two construction agencies a total of $379,100 for knowingly exposing their workers to asbestos and illegally removing the toxic material.
Final order grants access to Rule 2019 filings in Garlock proceeding
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – Keeping up with the pattern of unsealing documents in the Garlock Sealing Technologies bankruptcy case, Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges has issued a final order allowing access to the Rule 2019 filings.
MDL judge suggests remanding hundreds of asbestos cases involving punitive damages
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) – The asbestos multidistrict litigation court recently suggested remanding hundreds of asbestos cases back to the district court for resolution of all matters, including punitive damages for the first time.
Madison County has 181 asbestos trials scheduled for this week
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Legal Newsline) – As the end of the year approaches, there are approximately 181 asbestos cases scheduled for trial on Dec. 1 in a single Madison County, Ill., courtroom, with only one claimant residing in the local jurisdiction.
MO and IL asbestos litigation trends compared at conference
ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) – While comparing asbestos litigation trends in neighboring states, two attorneys from both sides of the asbestos argument agree personal jurisdiction is becoming more important as out-of-state claimants flood to local jurisdictions.
Former Delaware judge stresses importance of asbestos trust transparency
XXX (Legal Newsline) – A former Delaware asbestos judge who experienced firsthand the manipulation occurring within the asbestos bankruptcy trust and litigation systems discussed the need for trust transparency in order to restore integrity to the judicial process.
Garlock urges NC court to maintain jurisdiction in RICO cases
Garlock urges NC court to maintain jurisdiction in RICO cases
Garlock: One year later
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - It’s been one year since the landmark Garlock Sealing Technologies decision was handed down by Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges, and the case has been used in support of public access arguments in the fight for bankruptcy transparency.
Bankrupt asbestos defendant reaches settlement with insurers after 14-year litigation
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) – After nearly 14 years of litigation, a bankrupt insulation company is requesting approval of a settlement agreement reached with several AIG-related insurance companies that previously issued policies for the defendant’s asbestos liability in the tort system.
Pa. Supreme Court agrees to hear Ford’s appeal of $1M asbestos jury verdict
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) – The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear Ford Motor Company’s appeal out of the Pennsylvania Superior Court, which affirmed a $1 million jury verdict in favor of a former auto mechanic in an asbestos action.
William Powell, Foster Wheeler earn summary judgment in asbestos case
GREENSBORO, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – A North Carolina has federal judge has granted summary judgment to two defendants in an asbestos case, concluding that the plaintiffs misconstrued the testimony of their sole witness.
Attorney: Unsealed Garlock documents could be 'double-edged sword'
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – As those paying close attention to the Garlock Sealing Technologies bankruptcy case await access to the previously sealed material from the estimation proceeding, bankruptcy attorney David Christian said anticipated access advances the goal of transparency but could still be “a double-edged sword.”
Cal. jury returns defense verdict for John Crane Inc. in $13M asbestos trial
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) – On Monday, a California federal jury returned a unanimous defense verdict in an asbestos wrongful death case in favor of defendant John Crane, Inc.
Garlock: Hodges approves $2.4M in fees and expenses for ACC
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – After a dispute over more than $2.5 million in fees and expenses in the Garlock Sealing Technologies bankruptcy case, Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges has granted most of the requested compensation for the Official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants, or ACC, for its work in the access litigation.
Second Circuit upholds federal officer removal defense in asbestos case
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – A federal appeals court has granted a lower court jurisdiction over a former Navy sailor’s asbestos lawsuit according to the federal officer removal defense.
Federal judge dismisses evidence spoliation claims in asbestos case
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) – An Illinois federal judge granted several motions to dismiss allegations that the defendants destroyed or spoiled evidence in an asbestos case after the plaintiff failed to adequately describe the events leading to the spoliation allegations.
Asbestos MDL grants 32 motions to dismiss in Virgin Islands maritime cases
PHILADELPHIA (Legal Newsline) – The asbestos multidistrict litigation judge has granted 32 motions to dismiss in the maritime docket for cases that were originally filed in the district court for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
RICO cases against asbestos firms unsealed in response to Hodges’ order
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – After Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges ordered the Garlock Sealing Technologies bankruptcy case unsealed for public access, a district judge has also granted access to the record for the accompanying racketeering cases against asbestos plaintiffs firms.
Garlock: ACC motion to reopen estimation proceeding 'remarkably thin'
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) – Now that Bankruptcy Judge George Hodges has ordered the estimation record in the Garlock Sealing Technologies case unsealed, the Asbestos Claimants’ Committee, or ACC, is seeking to reopen the estimation proceeding to conduct more discovery.