Federal Judge Remands Asbestos Cases 'Sans Friction Claims'

WASHINGTON D.C. - A federal district judge in Washington, D.C., has denied a request by friction defendant Honeywell Corp. to stay consideration of a plaintiffs' motion to remand several asbestos cases filed against the company. Weaver, et al. v. Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp., et al., No. 01-2649-01-2667 (D. D.C.).

The judge, however, ruled that friction product claims could be provisionally severed from the cases until further notice, presumably while the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals determines whether a federal bankruptcy judge's recent decision to remand several thousand asbestos claims was proper.

The 17 underlying friction product cases were originally removed …