Changing Circumstances Preclude Recusal in Silica Cases, Court Holds

JACKSON, Miss. - The Mississippi Supreme Court has refused to order the recusal of a state trial court judge from several silica cases, determining that circumstances surrounding the previous reasons for removing the judge have changed and no longer necessitate recusal. In Re: Textron Inc., et al., No. 2005-M-01328 (Miss. Sup. Ct.).

According to en banc orders released Oct. 20 in four Mississippi silica cases, Judge Billy Joe Landrum can continue to preside over the matters, despite defense contentions that Landrum has expressed bias against one of the firms representing them.

'The Court now finds that the circumstances, once the …