Jefferson County judge dismisses 3,700 asbestos cases
JACKSON, Miss. - Jefferson County Circuit Judge Lamar Pickard has dismissed nearly 3,700 asbestos claims because the plaintiffs have no ties to Mississippi, a defense attorney said Monday. Marcy Bryan Croft, a Jackson lawyer who represents more than 75 defendants, told The Associated Press the cases involved about 5,900 claims filed in Jefferson County by a Texas law firm.
Another 1,500 cases related to the lawsuit will not be pursued for various reasons, she said.
The remaining 700 cases will be transferred to other counties in the state, Pickard ruled.
The Mississippi Supreme Court has recently ruled that plaintiffs should not sue companies in Mississippi if the plaintiff does not live here or was not exposed to asbestos here.
“It’s a victory for all Mississippians,” Croft said. “Our courts should not be burdened with dealing with cases that have no connection to Mississippi.”
Plaintiffs’ attorneys have said such rulings inhibit the public’s ability to seek justice in areas that might be more sympathetic to their injuries.
Croft estimates there are about 100,000 asbestos cases filed in Mississippi courts but only half the plaintiffs live here or were exposed to asbestos here.
Asbestos is a commercial name for several different types of minerals that were commonly used in insulation, fireproofing materials, wallboard materials and automotive brakes until the 1970s.
Its use was drastically scaled back after public disclosure that it had a tendency to break down into microscopic particles that could hang in the air and be easily inhaled, potentially causing lung scarring, breathing problems, cancer or heart failure.
Judges in Jones, Holmes, Humphreys, Yazoo and Hinds counties have recently ordered plaintiffs to provide the courts with information on who the plaintiff is suing and why. Plaintiffs are also told to include when and where the exposure occurred.
The Supreme Court said cases should be dismissed if the information is not provided.