Ohio Court Finds Retroactivity of New Act Unconstitutional in 11 Asbestos Lawsuits

CLEVELAND -- An Ohio Court has ruled that a medical criteria bill governing the types of asbestos claims that may proceed to trial does not apply retroactively to the claims of 11 asbestos plaintiffs, ordering that the claims of the plaintiffs should proceed to trial under the law prior to the Act. Thornton, et al. v. A-Best Products, et al., No. CV-99-395724 (Ohio Ct. Comm. Pls., Cuyahoga Cty.).

In a Jan. 10 opinion, the Ohio Court of Common Pleas for Cuyahoga County found that the rights of the 11 plaintiffs had been impaired by the Act, which went into effect …