San Francisco Trial Judge Vacates His Own Consolidation Order

SAN FRANCISCO -- A California Superior Court for San Francisco County trial court judge has entered an order vacating a previous sua sponte order in which the judge had consolidated a number of asbestos cases for trial. In re: Brayton Group 436 v. Asbestos Defendants, No. 424859 (Calif. Super. Ct., San Francisco Cty.).

In a May 14 order, Judge James Robertson II said that "no case within any such [Brayton Purcell] group shall be considered part of a Code of Civil Procedure section 1048(a) consolidation, unless a noticed motion is filed, a hearing conducted, and an order issued."

According to …