Steve Korris News
Scruggs gets hearing in effort to shave sentence
Scruggs ABERDEEN, Miss. – Tort king Dickie Scruggs has won a chance to shorten his prison sentence at a hearing much like the trial he waived.
Halliburton presses to protect confidential information
Barbier NEW ORLEANS – BP hired former Halliburton cement engineer Ronald Crook as a last minute substitute for an expert that Magistrate Judge Sally Shushan disqualified for hiring former Halliburton cement engineer Michael Viator.
Caldwell appointed to plaintiff steering committee
Caldwell NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana attorney general Buddy Caldwell, exiled from Deepwater Horizon litigation just last month, returns in triumph.
DOJ objects to 6% attorney reserve in BP litigation
Barbier NEW ORLEANS – The Department of Justice burst an $840 million bubble for the Plaintiff Steering Committee in Deepwater Horizon litigation, wrecking their plan to reserve 6 percent of settlements at BP's Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
Strange moves to intervene in Barbier's rejection of claims
Strange NEW ORLEANS – Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, who displaced Louisiana attorney general Buddy Caldwell as Louisiana's lawyer in Deepwater Horizon litigation, aims to take charge of an appeal that Louisiana parishes filed.
Caldwell lashes back after authority stripped in BP litigation
Caldwell Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell protests to appellate judges that U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier, Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange snatched away his authority in Deepwater Horizon litigation.
Halliburton: Disqualify attorneys as well as BP experts
Godwin Disqualification of BP's cement experts from Deepwater Horizon litigation should extend to lawyers who gained information from the experts, Halliburton Energy Services pleaded in federal court on Jan. 3.
New Orleans shareholders suing BP fight English jurisdiction
Szak NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans city pension trustees leading shareholder litigation against BP directors over the Deepwater Horizon explosion want to hold their American ground rather than submit to jurisdiction of the English High Court.
Barbier grants lawyers 6 percent charge on future settlements; Sides with Jindal over Caldwell
Barbier U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier exiled Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell from Deepwater Horizon litigation and granted plaintiff lawyers a six percent charge on $14 billion in future settlements at BP's Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
Judge unseals order disqualifying BP's cement expert
Cap on BP's leaking well NEW ORLEANS – U. S. Magistrate Judge Sally Shushan blamed Houston engineer Fred Sabins for the disqualification of his firm as BP's cement expert in litigation over the Deepwater Horizon explosion, according to an order she unsealed on Dec. 21.
Order disqualifying BP expert filed under seal
Barbier NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Shushan apparently kicked out of court an engineer who switched sides from BP to Halliburton in Deepwater Horizon litigation, but her exact action and her reasons remain secret.
Cameron to pay BP $250 million
Beck Deepwater Horizon blowout prevention contractor Cameron International will pay BP $250 million to settle a dispute over liability for last year's explosion and oil spill.
Oil spill PSC draws fire over six percent holdback proposal
Caldwell NEW ORLEANS – Panic overtakes a plaintiff steering committee whose sudden grab for six percent of Deepwater Horizon settlements drew fire from all directions.
Barbier rejects state, city government damage claims against BP
Barbier NEW ORLEANS – In a recent ruling, U. S. District Judge Carl Barbier rejected most Deepwater Horizon damage claims of state and local governments and deflected many remaining claims to a BP agency outside his jurisdiction.
Barbier will allow evidence showing possible government liability
Barbier U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier will allow evidence of possible government liability for the Deepwater Horizon explosion at a fault allocation trial he plans to start in February.
BP responds to accusations that former Halliburton engineer gave up secrets
BP claims it has nothing to hide in the case of a former Halliburton engineer who switched sides in Deepwater Horizon litigation, but BP's proclamation of innocence hides almost everything.
Barbier to allow evidence of government liability at upcoming BP trial
Barbier NEW ORLEANS – U. S. District Judge Carl Barbier will allow evidence of possible government liability for the Deepwater Horizon explosion at a fault allocation trial he plans to start in February.
BP motion almost entirely redacted
Haycraft NEW ORLEANS – BP claims it has nothing to hide in the case of a former Halliburton engineer who switched sides in Deepwater Horizon litigation, but BP's proclamation of innocence hides almost everything.
Ellison rejects plea to impose American discovery and procedure rules in BP shareholder suit
Ellison HOUSTON – U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison rejected a plea to impose American rules on discovery and procedure before he sends a shareholder suit against BP directors to the English High Court.
Halliburton wants Barbier to disqualify engineer for 'switching sides' to BP
Barbier NEW ORLEANS – Halliburton Energy Services Inc. claims an employee who helped develop strategy for litigation over the Deepwater Horizon explosion quit his job and joined a firm that helps rig operator BP develop an opposing strategy.