Safety-Kleen Objects to Order Issuing Sanctions for Failure to Participate in Mediation Process in Good Faith

PITTSBURGH –– Safety-Kleen Systems Inc. has objected to a magistrate judge’s order granting a benzene plaintiff’s motion for sanctions, arguing that Safety-Kleen’s presence at the settlement conference was “indicative of its good faith participation in the process.”

In the June 11 objections, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Safety-Kleen also said that it had set aside its “normal policy” of waiting until after the close of discovery to engage in settlement negotiations and had arrived at the settlement conference “ready to engage in discussions in good faith.”

In a June 13 order, the federal …