Louisiana Court Denies Asbestos Plaintiffs’ Motion to Amend Suit, Says It Is ‘Highly Suspicious’ of Motive Behind Adding Non-Diverse Party

NEW ORLEANS – A Louisiana federal court has denied a motion to amend an asbestos suit, concluding that it was “highly suspicious” of the plaintiffs’ motives behind their request to add a non-diverse defendant to the action.

In the Oct. 14 order, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana opined that the overall balance weighs in favor of denying the amendment.

“While the Plaintiffs have not been dilatory in seeking the amendment, timeliness is not a panacea for the Court’s concerns with the diversity defeating addition of a non-diverse defendant,” the court concluded. “Therefore, the motion for …