Texas Appeals Court: Trial Court Erred When Imposing Injunction Against Asbestos Investigators

DALLAS - A Texas trial court that stopped two defendant-hired investigators from interrogating current and former employees of an asbestos plaintiffs' firm lacked jurisdiction to do so because the investigators were not party to the lawsuit they were inquiring about, a state appeals court has ruled. Landry, et al. v. Burge, et al., No. 05-99-01217-CV (Texas App. Ct., 5th Dist.).

The Texas Court of Appeals, Fifth District, said Oct. 3 that because investigators Kenneth Landry and Karen Hewitt were never served with the relevant complaint and, therefore, never named as defendants, the trial court should not have issued a …