Federal Judge Declines to Find Dr. Segarra in Civil Contempt

PHILADELPHIA -- The Asbestos Products Liability Litigation MDL Judge has denied a motion to find expert Dr. Jay T. Segarra in civil contempt, determining that his failure to produce "potentially privileged materials" did not warrant such a finding. In Re: Asbestos Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 875 (E.D. Pa.).

In the May 14 order, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania did find, however, the Union Carbide Corp. was entitled to attorneys' fees and costs incurred by the defendant in the development of the document production protocol.

In March, seven plaintiffs whose claims rely on the medical …