Court

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Raises Concerns Over Bellwether Trials in Mass Tort Cases

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Washington, D.C. – Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has raised concerns about the use of bellwether trials in mass tort cases. Thomas argues that these trials, which are meant to serve as a representative sample for resolving similar cases, often carry significant weight in influencing settlement talks. He believes that this approach can infringe upon defendants’ rights, stating that “individual rights may matter less than judicial convenience” in these cases. Bellwether trials involve selecting a small number of cases from a large pool of similar claims. The outcomes of these trials are then used to … Read more

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Raises Concerns about Legitimacy of Mass-Tort Bellwether Trials

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Washington D.C. – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has expressed his concerns about the binding nature of mass-tort bellwether trials in multidistrict litigation. In a recent dissent from the Supreme Court’s decision to deny certiorari in an appeal by E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Thomas voiced his “serious doubts” about using bellwether trials to prevent defendants from relitigating issues that have already been decided in lawsuits by different plaintiffs. The issue arose in a class action suit filed by 80,000 residents who sued E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. over the … Read more

Judge Tracey Flemings-Davillier Takes the Helm as Chief Judge of Orleans Parish Criminal Court

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NEW ORLEANS, LA – Orleans Parish Criminal District Judge Tracey Flemings-Davillier has been appointed as the new chief judge of the criminal court. The two-year appointment began on January 1, as disclosed in a news release received on Tuesday. Flemings-Davillier, 54, takes over from Judge Robin Pittman, who held the post for the past two years and continues to serve on the bench. Flemings-Davillier brings over a decade of experience to her new role. She previously presided as judge in Orleans Parish Juvenile Court from 2010 to 2012 and also served as Deputy Chief Judge … Read more

Delaware Climate Change Lawsuit Against Big Oil Faces Major Setback as State Court Partially Dismisses Claims

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Wilmington, Delaware – A lawsuit filed by the government of Delaware against major fossil fuel companies over their greenhouse gas emissions and impact on global warming has been partially dismissed by a top state court. Judge Mary Johnston of the Delaware Superior Court ruled that the state’s claims for damages related to out-of-state or global greenhouse gas emissions and interstate pollution are preempted by the federal Clean Air Act and fall beyond the limits of state statute. Although other claims can still be pursued, the ruling significantly weakens the case. The lawsuit, which dates back … Read more