Rhode Island lead paint retrial

The state’s public nuisance action against companies that long ago sold lead paint for interior use, the only such lawsuit filed by a state government, ended in a mistrial three years ago: see Oct. 30-31, 2002. Now it’s come to retrial in a Providence courtroom, with huge potential stakes. (Eric Tucker, “Landmark lawsuit against lead […]

The state’s public nuisance action against companies that long ago sold lead paint for interior use, the only such lawsuit filed by a state government, ended in a mistrial three years ago: see Oct. 30-31, 2002. Now it’s come to retrial in a Providence courtroom, with huge potential stakes. (Eric Tucker, “Landmark lawsuit against lead paint industry to return to court”, AP/Boston Globe, Oct. 16; “New lead paint trial set in Rhode Island”, UPI/Science Daily, Oct. 17.) Speechwriter/blogger Jane Genova is blogging it live from the scene, with first posts here and here. DuPont paid this summer to be let out of the case: see Jul. 2. On the politics behind the suit, see Jun. 7 and Jun. 8-10, 2001.

5 Comments

  • “Trial Lawyers Inc. — Health Care”

    Last week the Manhattan Institute (with which I’m associated) released Trial Lawyers Inc. — Health Care, the third in its series of “annual reports” on the doings of the litigation industry. (The first two were…

  • “Paint by Lawyer”

    Wall Street Journal editorializes today (sub-only) about the retrial recently started in Providence, in which the zillionaire law firm of Motley Rice, which has developed close relations with the political class in the state of Rhode Island, is employi…

  • R.I. paint case: defense moves for mistrial

    According to the Providence Journal: “Lawyers for defendant lead-paint companies called for a mistrial [Tuesday], after the state asked a witness if any of the companies had ever paid any money to help clean up…

  • I’m interviewed…

    …at the blog of speechwriter and ghostwriter Jane Genova, who for the past two months has been liveblogging the Providence retrial of Rhode Island’s lawsuit against former manufacturers of lead paint. Among topics we touch…

  • R.I. jury finds former lead paint makers liable

    “A Rhode Island jury today found Sherwin-Williams Co. and two other paintmakers guilty of creating a ‘public nuisance’ by manufacturing lead paint after it was found to be dangerous.” If upheld, the verdict will force…