Louisiana Benzene Plaintiffs Oppose Motion to Continue Trial; Say Defendants Seek Delay for ‘Their Failure to Act’

NEW ORLEANS –– Benzene plaintiffs in Louisiana have opposed a recent motion to continue a July 2014 trial date, saying that the party making the motion has “not bothered to conduct any formal discovery in the three months since it was served with the Complaint.”

On Jan. 23, Murphy Oil asked the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District Court to continue the July 2014 trial date, saying in part that while trial is six months away, the defendant has to file an answer to the lawsuit.

“And another newly added defendant, i.e., Marathon Oil Company, has not even made …