MDL Plaintiffs' Motion to Prohibit Screening-Related Discovery Denied

CLEVELAND - The Welding Fume MDL judge has denied a plaintiff motion to prohibit defendants from seeking screening-related discovery in state court cases. In re: Welding Fume Products Liability Litigation. MDL No. 1535. Case No. 1:03-cv-17000 (N.D. Ohio).

Judge Kathleen M. O'Malley of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio issued a non-document order denying the motion on April 24. Sources told HarrisMartin that O'Malley denied the order after a teleconference hearing between the MDL parties and the court.

The MDL plaintiffs had moved for an order to prevent the defendants from deposing three members of plaintiff …