La. High Court Overturns Contra Non Valentem Finding in Environmental Suit

BATON ROUGE, La. - The Louisiana Supreme Court has overturned lower court decisions allowing the statute of limitations to be suspended on tort claims by property owners who leased land to Exxon-related companies that allegedly began in the 1930s. Marin, et al. v. Exxon Mobil Corp., et al., Nos. 09-C-2368 c/w No. 09-C-2371 (La. Sup. Ct.).

The Supreme Court 's Oct. 19 opinion blocks claims by only one of two plaintiff families, however, leaving a $21,005,675.27 compensatory damage award in place because of remediation required under existing leases.

At issue were claims by two Louisiana families who leased surface land …