Miss. High Court Reverses Asbestos Trial Setting, Remands for Severance

JACKSON, Miss. -- The Mississippi Supreme Court has reversed a case management order that allowed groups of asbestos plaintiffs to proceed to trial together, ruling that the order fails to comply with Mississippi pleading requirements. 3M Co. v. Hinton, et al, No. 2003-IA-02459-SCT (Miss. Sup. Ct.).

The Feb. 17 order comes on the heels of similar decisions issued by Mississippi courts in recent months, in which several judges ordered an estimated 30,000 plaintiffs to show proof of residency or evidence of exposure within the state, or face dismissal of their claims.

According to the order, the instant proceedings involve 115 …