March 22nd, 2008

Lawyers met this week in a Delaware courtroom, not for a trial but for a discussion. Under review was the states handling of asbestos cases, and whether the state should continue to allow out of state asbestos suits to be heard in Delaware courtrooms.

Lawyers were pitted against lawyers this week in a Delaware courtroom. Under discussion was the fact that many out of state asbestos lawsuits pass through Delaware’s courtrooms and legal system. Some lawyers feel this is a good situation, considering that cases bring in revenue and give the state’s legal system a boost in moral. Other lawyers feel that Delaware should only hear asbestos lawsuits that stem from the state’s residents or companies. Lawyers defending big companies feel that the Delaware system is being hindered by hearing cases that have nothing to do with the state, while those defending asbestos victims say the complaint is a ploy to move the cases to states with more stringent asbestos suit parameters. Victims of asbestos exposure often do not have years to go through the legal system, making Delaware a prime location for hearings. Mesothelioma and asbestosis victims normally have only a few years to live once they are diagnosed, making quick hearings desirable.