Second Calif. Court Rules that Bankruptcy Documents are Discoverable

SAN FRANCISCO -- The California 1st District Court of Appeals has reinforced a fellow appellate court's recent finding that bankruptcy trust documents are not privileged in an asbestos case. Seariver Maritime Inc. v. Taylor, et al., No. A113235 (Calif. Ct. App., 1st Dist, Div. 4).

In the July 28 opinion, the Fourth Division of the appellate court opined that privacy concerns do not outweigh the need for discovery.

Richard Taylor claimed that his employment for more than 30 years exposed him to asbestos. In his complaint filed under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, Taylor named SeaRiver Maritime …