Pennsylvania Judge Dismisses Cases, Sanctions Plaintiffs' Attorneys in Asbestos Case

A U.S. magistrate has dismissed asbestos-related cases handled by the Houston law firm of Franklin, Cardwell & Jones, ruling on behalf of Jackson, Miss.,-based Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy LLP. The magistrate also ordered Franklin Cardwell to pay more than $34,000 to Forman Perry. End Quote

Philadelphia, PA-NJ (1888PressRelease) July 28, 2010 - United States Magistrate Judge David Strawbridge has granted the dismissal of lawsuits filed by seven plaintiffs and sanctioned their law firm in the ongoing multidistrict asbestos litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

As part of the dismissals, Judge Strawbridge ordered plaintiffs' attorneys with the Franklin, Cardwell & Jones law firm of Houston to pay more than $34,000 to the Jackson, Miss.-based defense firm of Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy LLP.

The payment is based on Forman Perry's cost and fees to establish case discovery protocols for screening records of the plaintiffs' diagnosing physician, Dr. Jay T. Segarra of Gulfport, Miss. Dr. Segarra's practices and methods, including the questionable accuracy of his diagnoses, are the subject of recurring challenges by defense attorneys in MDL 875.

"The court continues to make progress in separating the valid and invalid claims in MDL 875," says Marcy B. Croft of Forman Perry. "It's clear that opposing counsel recognized that these claims would not withstand scrutiny and not meet the standards of accountability and reliability established by the court."

Forman Perry Watkins Krutz & Tardy is a national trial firm focusing on tort, environmental and commercial litigation. The firm is home to more than 85 attorneys in Jackson, Miss., Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston and New Orleans who have represented clients in state and federal courts across the U.S. for more than 20 years. More information is available at http://www.fpwkt.com.

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