Maryland Court Reverses Position, Awards Summary Judgment to Supplier in Asbestos Case

BALTIMORE –– A Maryland court has reversed its position on awarding summary judgment in full to Paramount Packing & Rubber Inc. in two underlying asbestos cases, saying it misread invoices the plaintiffs submitted in opposition to the defendant’s motion.

In an Aug. 1 order, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland said that it had previously denied summary judgment for the defendant on one of the plaintiffs’ counts on grounds that the invoices showed sales of John-Manville pipe covering.

“Upon reexamining the invoices, however, they clearly show sales of Johns-Manville packing, not Johns-Manville pipe covering,” the court said. …