La. Court Rejects Removal on Diversity Jurisdiction Grounds, Says Dismissal of In-State Asbestos Defendants Was Opposed

NEW ORLEANS –– A Louisiana federal court has remanded an asbestos case, saying that since the plaintiff opposed the dismissals of two in-state defendants, the case was not removable.

In the Nov. 6 order, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana granted the plaintiff’s expedited motion for remand, citing an upcoming trial date.

Plaintiff Mary Morvant filed the lawsuit, contending that her mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos-containing products. Morvant named several defendants in the matter, including Canadian manufacturer Asbestos Corporation Ltd., and five in-state defendants.

Morvant later reached settlement agreements with three of …