MDL Court Clarifies Order Relating to ‘Bare Metal’ Defense under Maritime Law

PHILADELPHIA –– The court overseeing the national asbestos products liability MDL has granted a renewed motion for summary judgment filed by Crane Co., reinforcing its earlier adoption of the “bare metal defense” under maritime law.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued the one-page decision on Dec. 10.

In February 2012, Crane Co. filed a renewed motion for summary judgment, noting that the MDL court had denied its earlier motion that asserted the bare metal defense because it was “an undecided area of California law.”

As such, the court had requested further briefing on both the …