Supreme Court Order Severing Mississippi Asbestos Claims Published

JACKSON, Miss. -- An order applying new Mississippi mass tort standards to asbestos claims was designated for publication by the state's high court on Jan. 6. Harold's Auto Parts, Inc. v. Flower Mangialardi, et al., No. 2004-IA-01308-SCT (Miss. Sup. Ct.).

The Aug. 26 order from the Mississippi Supreme Court had called the joinder of 259 claims in the underlying case a 'perversion of the judicial system,' and has prompted several Mississippi Circuit Courts to dismiss more than 13,000 asbestos claims since. See '3 Mississippi Judges Order 13,000 Asbestos Plaintiffs to Show Proof of Residency' in the January 2005 issue of …