In the News Today – June 22, 2017

New Asbestos Court Rules May Draw Challenges From Both Defense & Plaintiff Bars: The new case management order for New York City’s asbestos courts, released this week and set to take effect on July 20, contains provisions that both defense and plaintiffs’ attorneys dislike. Notably, the order affirms the right of plaintiffs to seek punitive damages, which were stayed by an appeals court pending further modifications to the case management order. The order also caps the number of trials that can be joined at two, though three trials can be joined if plaintiffs meet certain criteria. (New York Law Journal)