High Court Review Sought After Reversal of Successor Ruling

SAN FRANCISCO - Lawyers for a California woman whose asbestos verdict is in jeopardy because the state Court of Appeal ruled that a defendant in the case had not inherited its predecessor's liability has sought review of the decision in state Supreme Court. Franklin, et al. v. USX Corp., No. S096633 (Calif. Sup. Ct.).

The petition, filed April 9 on behalf of Jeannette Franklin, seeks to resolve the question of whether, in the absence of an assumption of liability or evidence of a merger, a business' successor in interest is subject to liability for injuries caused by its predecessor.

The …