Judge Denies Motion to Strike Experts, Dismisses Safety-Kleen

BALTIMORE -A federal judge has denied a defense motion to strike the plaintiffs' experts, while commenting that the 'initial climate of cooperation [had] completely deteriorated' during discovery in a benzene proceeding. Bailey, et al. v. BWD Automotive Corp., et al., No. WDQ-04-2078 (D. Md.).

The June 3 order by Judge Beth P. Gesnger in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland effectively denied several defendants' motions for summary judgment and to strike plaintiffs' expert designations, and ordered the parties to agree on a new scheduling order.

'Shortly after [the] apparent breakdown in communication, the defendants began to file …