Appellate Court Reverses Denial of Summary Judgment to Union Carbide

LOS ANGELES -- A California appellate court has reversed a trial court's denial of summary judgment to Union Carbide in an asbestos lawsuit, ruling that the plaintiffs' failure to comply with time-limits for requests for relief barred their claims. Arambula et al. v. Union Carbide Corp., No. B171814 (Calif. Ct. App 2nd Dist., Div. 3).

The California Court of Appeals ruled April 8 that a trial court does not have the authority to excuse a party's noncompliance with the six-month time limit for filling requests for relief.

Plaintiff Esther Arambula filed her lawsuit against several defendants, including Union Carbide, alleging …