Houston’s First Court of Appeals has rejected a wrongful death claim filed by the widow of a longtime trial court judge who was allegedly exposed to asbestos during remediation at the Jefferson County Courthouse in the mid-1990s.

The case, Jefferson County v. Farris, concerns the death of James Farris, who served as judge of the 317th District Court from 1977 until his retirement in 1996. Farris’ widow, Ellarene Farris, provided written notice to the county in 2005 that she intended to sue, less than six months after her husband first showed symptoms of mesothelioma, a lung disease associated with asbestos exposure from which he ultimately died.

Judge James Farris.