Missouri Court Grants Ashland Inc.'s Motion for Protective Order

ST. LOUIS -- A Missouri federal court has granted a motion for protective order in a benzene case, ruling that it would be "unduly burdensome" to require Ashland Inc. to produce documentation relating to mineral spirit products. Whitehead v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., et al., No. 08-0421 (E.D. Mo.).

In the March 10 order, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri found that there was insufficient evidence to support such a "broad-based inquiry."

The underlying claims were asserted on behalf of Jackie Whitehead, whose work for more than 35 years as a utility worker, tool dispatcher and turret …