Tag: BP oil spill litigation

BREAKING: Self described King of Torts gets his ass kicked in California

“These guys are the worst of hypocrites that you can possibly find,” said Roger Chadderdon, technology counsel at Cataphora. “They claim to be trying to help the little guy, but what they’re doing is trying to put more money in their own pockets. Everybody knows that, but this is a case that illustrates it beyond what I have ever seen.”

So who is this self proclaimed King of Torts? He and his son have appeared on these pages before. Now the real riddle is what does this guy have to do with the Goat Farm lawsuit Charles Leary is mentioned so prominently in? (Leary has denied involvement in that lawsuit to the Canadian media despite the offical court record here in Louisiana.) Perhaps an ex wife who partnered with Trout Point Owner Danny Abel to homecook the out of state plaintiff they attempted to fleece. Man the stories I’ve heard about Deonne whew!  And that doesn’t count the problems Deonne and her ex are having in Florida these days. Kinda mirrors the crash and burn now occurring on the shores of the Tusket River in Nova Scotia huh.

To paraphrase Nowdy the past isn’t dead, it is not even past.

Stay tuned.

sop

Guess who (dat judge) – Federal judge “strikes down drilling safety rules”

If you guessed none other than Louisiana’s who-dat judge Martin Feldman AKA “Boomer” hereafter, then you’ve got it:

A federal judge has ruled that the Interior Department improperly issued new safety rules after it imposed a moratorium on deep water drilling in the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill.

Tuesday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman says the rules imposed in a June 8 notice to offshore operators can’t be enforced because the government issued them without soliciting public comment.

Last month, the Interior Department announced it was replacing the June 8 safety rules with new guidelines.

Feldman struck down the Interior Department’s first moratorium on deep water drilling in June, but he hasn’t decided whether officials were justified in imposing a second moratorium on July 12.

The Obama administration lifted the second ban earlier this month.

Huff-Po has the story – and some great reader comments, too.

“Here come de judge. Oily, ain’t he?”

Latest on BP oil spill litigation – the Mississippi Litigation Review reports

Phillip Thomas, the blogging attorney of the Mississippi Litigation Review (MLR) has two excellent posts up on the BP oil spill litigation.   MLR is linked to SLABBED under Law Blogs in the right sidebar; and, if you visit there you will find Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for BP Oil Spill MDL Dominated by Lawyers from Large Firms and BP Oil Spill Update: It’s a Gusher for Feinberg Rozen as Plaintiff Lawyers Head for the Exits

Thomas’ post on the Steering Committee links Judge Barbier’s Order that names the members of the Steering Committee:  Brian H. Barr, Jeffrey A. Breit, Elizabeth J. Cabraser,Philip F. Cossich, Jr., Robert T. Cunningham, Alphonso Michael Espy, Calvin C. Fayard, Jr., Robin L. Greenwald, Ervin A. Gonzalez, Rhon E. Jones, Matthew E. Lundy, Michael C. Palmintier, Paul M. Sterbcow, Scott Summy, and Mikal C. Watts:

Want to be on an exclusive MDL plaintiffs’ steering committee? Then you need to be an attorney in a large plaintiffs firm—the type that generally does not exist in Mississippi. That’s my take away from reviewing the list of attorneys on the Plaintiffs’ steering committee in the BP Oil Spill MDL.

Here is Judge Barbier’s Order rendered Friday with the names of the fifteen lawyers on the plaintiffs’ steering committee. Most of the lawyers appointed to the committee practice with large plaintiff firms. The even more exclusive executive committee is composed of four lawyers: James Roy, Russ Herman, Brian Barr and Scott Summy.

My interpretation of the Order is that the steering committee will run the entire litigation. Lawyers who represent victims—but who are not on the steering committee—appear to be getting squeezed out of the litigation.

The only Mississippi lawyer on the steering committee is Continue reading “Latest on BP oil spill litigation – the Mississippi Litigation Review reports”

Judge Barbier can lead a “new Louisiana way”…

With Louisiana way’ on full display at Judge Thomas Porteous’ trial and the news that the  Initial federal court hearing in BP oil spill is this afternoon, I’ve given some thought to what Judge Barbier can do to make the “right way” the new “Louisiana way”:

1. Brown bag lunch versus “the Louisiana way”:

“Marcotte, his sister and associate Lori, and several former employees of Bail Bonds Unlimited testified that they treated Porteous to many meals…”

2. Carpool with other judges or take a taxi versus “the Louisiana way”:

“BBU employees would pick up his car from the courthouse, have it detailed or have the oil changed for free, then drop it off…”

3.  Install brick or metal fencing versus “the Louisiana way”:

“Two [BBU] employees spent several days rebuilding a damaged wooden fence…”

4. Eat more beef versus “the Louisiana way”:

“Holiday turkeys counted as currency in this universe…”

5. BYOC as in “Bake your own cakes and cookies” versus “the Louisiana way”:

“but more commonly…[the currency]…was dessert, specifically doberge cakes…”

Barbier was likely too busy for even a brown-bag lunch today: Continue reading “Judge Barbier can lead a “new Louisiana way”…”