Illinois Court Denies Efforts by Asbestos Defendant Goulds Pumps to Stay Insurance Dispute Proceedings

CHICAGO –– An Illinois federal court has denied asbestos defendant Goulds Pumps Inc.’s motion to stay an insurance dispute, finding that the existence of a similar action in California was not enough to halt the proceedings.

In the Feb. 21 order, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that all of the factors outlined in Colorado River Water Conservation District v. United States (424 U.S. 800 [1976]) weighed in favor of retaining jurisdiction of the case.

Yeomans Chicago Corp. filed the lawsuit, contending that Goulds Pumps Inc. breached a contract the two companies entered into. In …