Court Reverses Summary Judgment, Orders Inquiry into Document Authenticity

NEW ORLEANS -- A Louisiana appellate court has reversed an award of summary judgment in favor of asbestos plaintiffs, ruling that the lower court had erred when it declined to conduct an inquiry into the authenticity of produced documents. Falgoust, et al. v. Avondale Industries, et al., No. 2009-CA-1671 (La. Ct. App., 4th Cir.).

In the Aug. 25 ruling, the Louisiana 4th District Court of Appeal instructed the court to conduct a full evidentiary hearing as to the admissibility of the disputed documents as well as documents that have been produced since.

The plaintiffs contend that Ellis Falgoust developed …