MDL Court Bars Witnesses Named in Global List, Leaves Door Open for Testimony in Specific Cases

PHILADELPHIA –– The court overseeing the federal asbestos products liability MDL has granted a motion to bar witnesses named in global lists intended to act as supplemental answers in a large number of asbestos cases, ruling that the lists detailing the witnesses were too general to be used in any specific case.

However, in the Dec. 27 opinion, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania left the door open for the witnesses named in the global list to testify in specific cases if they are properly disclosed elsewhere during discovery.

Several defendants moved to bar witnesses in …