Split Ala. Supreme Court Upholds Statute of Limitations in Benzene Case

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- The Alabama Supreme Court by a 5-4 vote has affirmed a summary judgment award in an appeal that challenged the state's two-year statute of limitations, sources told HarrisMartin Publishing. Cline v. Ashland Inc., et al., No. 1041076 (Ala. Sup. Ct.).

Sources said that while the high court declined to issue an opinion detailing the decision, a dissent was filed by Associate Justices Champ Lyons Jr., Robert Bernard Harwood Jr., Thomas A. Woodall and Tom Parker. The dissent has yet to be released.

The underlying case addressed whether a benzene plaintiff was denied due process when a trial …