Ill. Court Rejects Honeywell’s Challenges to Personal Jurisdiction, Says Defendant Waived Defense

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. –– An Illinois federal court has denied Honeywell International Inc.’s motion to dismiss an asbestos case for lack of personal jurisdiction, saying that the defendant had waived its right to assert the defense.

In the Feb. 8 order, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois found Honeywell had failed to “judiciously” file a Rule 12(b) motion or seek a judgment on the pleadings and, as such, could not now challenge jurisdiction.

Steven Watts contended in his lawsuit that he was exposed to asbestos fibers while working as a warehouse worker at Coca-Cola, a …