For years, the Eastern District of Texas has been one of the most popular federal districts in the state for filing product liability suits against foreign corporations. But several appellate lawyers believe a mandamus pending before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could change that.
On July 12, a 5th Circuit panel reheard arguments in In Re: Volkswagen of America Inc., et al. In the mandamus, New Jersey-based Volkswagen of America and Volkswagen AG of Germany are attempting to have a product liability suit in which they are defendants transferred from the docket of U.S. District Judge T. John Ward of Marshall, Texas, to a court in the Northern District of Texas. [See the court's opinion.]
