Amici Group Blasts Court for Creation of Aiding and Abetting Tort

JACKSON, Miss. -- An amici group has filed a petition asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to reverse a lower court order that holds welding fume defendants liable for aiding and abetting claims based on their participation in a trade association. Caterpillar Inc. v. White, No. 2006-IA-01678; A.O. Smith Corp. v. Thompson, et al., No. 2006-IA-01682 (Miss. Sup. Ct.).

On Nov. 21, the Mississippians for Economic Progress argue that the current appeal "represent signal cases with potentially grave and far-ranging implications for untold numbers of Mississippi manufacturers, trade association members, and related entities."

The group says that the circuit court order …