New Orleans Office Workers Can Pursue Action As A Class

NEW ORLEANS - An estimated 580 Louisiana state employees who allege that environmental problems were ignored by state agencies can sue those agencies as a class, a state trial court ruled recently. Watters v. Department of Social Services, et al., No. 01-17775 (La. Dist. Ct., Orleans Parish).

Orleans Parish District Judge Louis A. DiRosa concluded in a judgment released on July 20 that the claims of plaintiffs in two consolidated actions assert common issues of fact and law sufficient for class certification under Article 591 of the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure.

The two lawsuits were brought by Sherry Watters …