Court Continues May 2012 Trial Date, Cites Addition of Recent Defendant

NEW ORLEANS -- A Louisiana federal court has continued a May 2012 trial date and pretrial deadlines, noting the recent addition of a defendant to the benzene action. Wright, et al. v. Shell Offshore Inc., et al., No. 10-02108 (E.D. La.).

In the Dec. 16 order, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana found that keeping the trial date and pretrial deadlines would prejudice U.S. Steel Corp., which was just named as a defendant in November.

A scheduling conference to set a new trial date and pretrial deadlines is slated to be held on Jan. 4, …