We were going to blog about something else today, but we received what Judge Herron of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas has entitled “General Court Regulation No. 2012-01 In re: Mass Tort and Asbestos Programs.”  Here’s a copy. The Regulation makes some significant changes in the Court’s mass tort program.

First off, Judge Moss is taking senior status, so there will be a new Coordinating Judge of the Philadelphia Complex Litigation Center and Mass Tort program – Judge Arnold New.  It’s been a number of years, but once Judge New granted judgment n.o.v. in one of Bexis’ cases.  On appeal that case became Schindler v. Sofamor, Inc., 774 A.2d 765 (Pa. Super. 2001).

A lot of the order is specific to asbestos cases, where those defendants remain uniquely disadvantaged.  As the regulation indicates, “[i]n January and again in March, 2009, certain Court leadership invited the filing of asbestos cases from other jurisdictions.”  Id. at 1.  As a result, the asbestos backlog is back – the reason given for retaining consolidated trials in those actions.

But for drug and device, the news is better...

Please see full article below for more information.