Federal Court Splits Couple's Consolidated Meso, Asbestosis Lawsuits

NEW ORLEANS -- A federal court has split up two consolidated asbestos lawsuits, remanding one for lack of timely removal, while maintaining jurisdiction over the other. Lerille, et al. v. Monsanto Corp., et al., No. 07-3621 (E. D. La.).

In the Aug. 6 decision, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana sent the mesothelioma lawsuit of Betty Lerille back to state court, but retained her husband's asbestosis complaint, opining that the two were not merged when consolidated by a lower court.

Betty Lerille contends in her lawsuit that she developed mesothelioma after asbestos exposure by way of …