Benzene Defendant's Efforts to Have Court Rehear Jurisdiction Dispute Are Denied

NEW ORLEANS -- A federal court in Louisiana has denied efforts by a benzene defendant to have the court rehear a jurisdictional dispute, concluding that the defendant had failed to offer new evidence that would support a rehearing of the issue. Washington, et al. v. Baker Petrolite Corp., et al., No. 09-07926 (E.D. La.).

In a Feb. 10 ruling, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana opted not to reconsider an earlier order in which it opined that it was "reasonable" for the defendant to anticipate a lawsuit may be filed against the company in Louisiana.