Category: Remand/Removal

The law concept background.
Federal Officer Removal / Remand/Removal
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District Court Denies Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand despite Dismissal of Defendant that Formed the Basis of Federal Jurisdiction

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

As previously reported on Asbestos Case Tracker, this matter involves Plaintiff Frank P. Ragusa, who filed an action against various defendants in state court alleging occupational asbestos exposure at the Avondale Shipyards, among other facilities, where he worked as a crane operator from 1973 through 2017. On October 26, 2021, this case was removed to district court pursuant to the federal officer removal statute. The plaintiff has now reinstated a motion to remand to state court. …

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Wooden judge gavel, close-up view.
California / Remand/Removal
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Case Remanded to California State Court; Plaintiff Awarded Motion Costs and Fees

Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of California

In this asbestos action, plaintiff Gary Haeck sued several defendants for causes of action in strict products liability, negligence, fraud, and loss of consortium, including five entities that are California citizens.

Haeck moved for an expedited trial, which the court granted for December 2022. Defendant 3M moved to quash, or sever, the trial date as to them. The court severed two defendants, including 3M, from the December 2022 trial date and set a trial …

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The law concept background.
Louisiana / Remand/Removal
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Motion to Remand Denied as Defendant’s Removal Timely Under Federal Officer Removal Statute

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

In this asbestos action, decedent Gayle LeBeau alleged take-home exposure to asbestos from her father and brother’s work at the Avondale Shipyards. After decedent filed her claim in state court, defendant Huntington Ingalls Incorporated (“Avondale”) removed the case to federal court. Plaintiffs moved to remand the case to state court, which Avondale opposed.   

Plaintiffs argued that removal was untimely as Avondale had notice of the appropriateness of removal from the decedent’s original petition on …

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person testifying
Remand/Removal / Washington
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Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand Granted Due to Lack of Fraudulent Joinder

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Washington  

Plaintiff Jeffrey Cockrum alleged exposure to asbestos from his work as a laborer and laboratory technician at Alcoa Wenatchee Works, an aluminum smelting facility. The plaintiff was diagnosed with epithelioid mesothelioma in March 2022. In June 2022, he filed the instant lawsuit in King County Superior Court against seven defendants, including Howmet Aerospace, Alcoa’s corporate successor.  

The plaintiff did not initially name a Washington defendant but later added North Coast Electrical Company, a Washington …

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judge's gavel and books
Remand/Removal / Washington
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Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand Granted Due to Railroad Company Defendant’s Untimely Motion for Removal  

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin , July 13, 2022

Plaintiffs Trisha and David Babler filed a lawsuit to recover damages Trisha allegedly sustained as a result of “take-home” asbestos exposure from her father, who was employed at Soo Line Railroad Company (SLR).  Plaintiffs named Sprinkmann Sons Corporation as a defendant “based on inferences that Sprinkmann was either a contractor at the North Fond du Lac SLR facility and/or supplied asbestos-containing materials to SLR for use at that facility.”  

Discovery …

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Mesothelioma
Louisiana / Maritime/Admiralty Law / Remand/Removal
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Federal Court Exercises Supplemental Jurisdiction in Shipyard Case

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, March 17, 2022

In this asbestos action, decedent Joseph B. Savoie, Jr. developed mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos at the Avondale Shipyards. Certain defendants removed this matter to federal court in 2015. Following the plaintiff’s motion to remand, the Fifth Circuit held that removal was proper as the “Avondale Interests presented a colorable defense of federal contractor immunity” in 2017. The Avondale Interests were dismissed in 2021. Thereafter, the plaintiffs filed a motion to remand …

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Remand/Removal / Texas
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Talc Case Remanded as Defendant Failed to Show Complete Diversity or Improper Joinder

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, March 17, 2022

In this asbestos action, plaintiff Naomi Wisener alleged that several defendants manufactured or supplied asbestos-containing products which exposed her to asbestos. Wisener commenced this action in state court (14th Judicial Court of Dallas County, Texas). Defendant Revlon removed the matter to federal court (United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas). Thereafter, Wisener moved to remand the matter to state court.

As the party removing the matter to …

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Remand/Removal
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Motion to Remand Denied as District Court Exercised Supplemental Jurisdiction Over Plaintiff’s State Law Claims

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, January 5, 2022

In this asbestos action, the plaintiff Lennard Stansbury claims that he developed mesothelioma following asbestos exposure while working at several jobsites in the New Orleans area from approximately 1966 until the late 1970s. Stansbury filed his complaint in November 2020 and was deposed in March 2021. The defendant Wausau filed a third-party demand which named Avondale Shipyards as a third-party defendant in August 2021. Thereafter, the third-party defendant Avondale filed a notice of …

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Remand/Removal
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Removal to Federal Court Timely as a Lack of Specificity in Plaintiff’s Complaint Failed to Trigger 30-Day Deadline

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, November 23, 2021

The plaintiff was an employee of Huntington Ingalls, Inc., intermittently from 1972 to 1975, running a cherry picker at Avondale shipyards. He alleged that he was exposed to asbestos dust through this employment and was later diagnosed with mesothelioma.

On July 16, 2021, the plaintiff filed suit in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, Louisiana, and on October 26, 2021, the defendants removed the case to federal court pursuant to …

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Mesothelioma
Louisiana / Remand/Removal
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Motion to Remand Granted as Plaintiff Did Not Voluntarily Abandon Claim During Closing Arguments

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, November 18, 2021

In this asbestos action, the plaintiff Willard Masters commenced an action in Louisiana state court alleging negligence claims against several defendants following his development of mesothelioma. While the defendant Taylor-Seidenbach, Inc. is not diverse from Masters, the defendant Graybar Electric Company, Inc. is a New York corporation with its principal place of business in Missouri. Trial commenced and counsel for all three above-referenced parties gave closing statements to the jury.

The day after …

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