Ohio Court Refuses to Certify Dismissal Order as Appealable

CINCINNATI -- An Ohio federal court has refused to certify its dismissal order of both personal injury and property claims in a groundwater contamination suit, saying that doing so would wrongfully allow a piecemeal appeal. Baker, et al. v. Chevron USA Inc., et al., No. 05-227 (S.D. Ohio).

In a March 17 memorandum of decision, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio noted that it had issued oral rulings denying the plaintiffs' motions on March 10.

"[T]he court believes that with the large number of Plaintiffs and claims they have remaining to be litigated, certifying these …