Ga. High Court's Constitutional Findings Mandate Lawsuits' Reinstatement

ATLANTA - A Georgia appellate court has reversed the dismissal of three asbestos lawsuits, saying that the state Supreme Court's recent ruling finding retroactive application of legislation governing asbestos and silica claims unconstitutional required the cases to be reinstated. Johnson, et al. v. Georgia Pacific Corp., et al., No. A07A0637; Barnett, et al. v. Georgia Pacific Corp, et al., No. A07A0709; Isbell, et al. v. Georgia Pacific Corp., et al., No. A07A0710 (Ga. App. Ct., 4th Div.).

The Fourth Appellate Division said in an April 12 opinion that all parties in the cases at issue agreed that the trial court's …