Judge Rejects Knauf Bid to Require Use of Hague Convention

NEW ORLEANS - The federal judge overseeing the Chinese drywall MDL has refused to issue an order that would have required use of international rules for obtaining discovery from Germany-based drywall defendant Knauf Gips KG. In Re: Chinese-Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, No. 09-4119 (E.D. La.).

Judge Eldon E. Fallon of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued the ruling during an Oct. 15 status conference, ultimately determining that jurisdictional discovery will be governed U.S. federal rules.

Knauf had filed a motion for protective order to require use of the Hague Evidence Convention, which it …