California Court Dismisses Silica Case for Improper Joinder of Plaintiffs

SAN FRANSCISCO - A state court judge in California has dismissed a multi-plaintiff silica suit, determining that the plaintiffs failed to meet the state's requirements for joining claimants to a single lawsuit. Arbuckle, et al. v. Abrasives, Inc., et al., No. 03-427520 (Calif. Super. Ct., San Francisco Cty.).

Sources told HarrisMartin Publishing that Judge Tomar Mason dismissed the case following a hearing Sept. 15 in San Francisco County Superior Court on several defendants' demurrers to a second amended complaint filed by 123 plaintiffs who all allege injuries caused by exposure to silica. Judge Mason sustained the demurrers without leave to …