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IN RE PAOLI R.R. YARD PCB LITIGATION

Nos. 92-1995 thru 92-1997, 92-1999 thru 92-2011, 92-2014 and 92-2016.

35 F.3d 717 (1994)

In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Mabel BROWN, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; Roy F. Weston, Inc.; and OH Materials Company; and General Electric Company; and the Budd Company; and Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Monsanto Co.; Penn Central Corporation, Mabel Brown, Appellant (D.C.Civ. No. 86-02229). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. George Albert BURRELL and Priscilla Etheridge Burrell, in their own right, and George Albert Burrell and Priscilla Etheridge Burrell, as parents and natural guardian of Amber Shardai Burrell, a minor, and George Albert Burrell, as parent and natural guardian of Andre Walker, a minor, and Priscilla Etheridge Burrell, as parent and natural guardian of Bobby George Albert Christian Burrell, a minor v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); and National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; Monsanto Company; General Electric Company; the Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation v. PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION, George Burrell, Priscilla Burrell, Amber Burrell and Monica Hilton, Appellants (D.C.Civ. No. 86-02235). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Wallace Darryl CUMMINS v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); and National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation, ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; and General Electric Company; The Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Monsanto Company, Wallace D. Cummins, Appellant (D.C.Civ. No. 86-02669). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. K. Louise JONES, Administratrix of the Estate of Harvey N. Jones, Jr., Deceased and K. Louise Jones as Personal Representative of Harvey N. Jones, Jr., and K. Louise Jones in her own Right v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); Consolidated Rail Corporation, ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; City of Philadelphia; Monsanto Company; General Electric Company; the Budd Company; and Westinghouse Electric Corporation, K. Louise Jones and Harvey Jones, Appellants (D.C.Civ. No. 86-05277). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. James LAMENT, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. SEPTA; Amtrak and Conrail; v. PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION; United States of America; City of Philadelphia; Monsanto Co.; General Electric Co.; Budd Co., and Westinghouse Electric Corporation, James Lament, Appellant (D.C.Civ. No. 86-05886). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Christopher S. BROWN; Jacqueline M. Brown, h/w v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation; Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION; United States of America; City of Philadelphia; General Electric Company; The Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Christopher Brown and Jacqueline Michelle Brown, Appellants (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07414). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Cathlene BROWN, Appellant, v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; City of Philadelphia; General Electric Company; the Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation v. PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07415). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Craig A. BROWN and Catherine D. Brown, h/w v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; Penn Central Corporation; and City of Philadelphia; General Electric Co.; the Budd Co.; and Westinghouse Electric Corp., Craig Brown, Appellant (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07416). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Margherita BARBETTA, Appellant v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; and City of Philadelphia; the General Electric Company; and the Budd Company; and Westinghouse Electric Corporation v. PENN CENTRAL CORPORATION (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07417). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Mary Retta JOHNSON, Appellant v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; and the City of Philadelphia; and General Electric Company; the Budd Company; and Westinghouse Electric Corporation; and Penn Central Corp. (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07418). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Celeste BROWN, Appellant, v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; City of Philadelphia; and General Electric Company; the Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07419). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Clemmon L. BROWN v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; City of Philadelphia; and General Electric Company; the Budd Company; and Westinghouse Electric Corporation; and Penn Central Corporation, Clemmon Brown, Appellant (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07420). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Cloyd H. BROWN v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; City of Philadelphia; General Electric Company; the Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Penn Central Corporation, Cloyd Brown, Appellant (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07421). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Curtis BROWN, Appellant, v. MONSANTO COMPANY; Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; City of Philadelphia v. GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; and the Budd Company; and Westinghouse Electric Company; Penn Central Corp. (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07422). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. John INGRAM, Sr., and Patricia Ingram, in their own right and as parents and natural guardians of John Ingram, Jr.; and April Ingram in her own right v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail"); and Monsanto Company ("Monsanto"); and General Electric Company ("GE"); and City of Philadelphia ("Philadelphia") v. UNITED STATES of America; the Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Penn Central Corporation, John Ingram, Sr. (and as representative of decedent, Patricia Ingram), John Ingram, Jr., Patricia Ingram and April Ingram Robinson-Ray, Appellants (D.C.Civ. No. 86-07561). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Mary Alice KNIGHT, Appellant v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail"); and Monsanto Company ("Monsanto"); and General Electric Company ("GE"); and City of Philadelphia ("Philadelphia") v. UNITED STATES of America; the Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Penn Central Corporation (D.C.Civ. No. 87-00712). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. William BUTLER; Theresa Butler; Marvin L. Simpson; Allen K. Simpson; Karen R. Simpson; Donald E. Simpson; and Bryan M. Jackson v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. UNITED STATES of America; City of Philadelphia; Monsanto Company; General Electric Company; The Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Penn Central Corporation, William Butler, Theresa Butler, Bryan Jackson, Allen Simpson, Donald Simpson, Karen Simpson and Marvin Simpson, Appellants, (D.C. Civ. No. 87-02874). In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. Matthew CUNNINGHAM; and Bessie Cunningham, Appellants, v. MONSANTO COMPANY; and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"); and National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY; the Budd Company; Westinghouse Electric Corporation; Penn Central Corporation, Third-Party Defendants (D.C. Civ. No. 87-05269).

United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.

Decided August 31, 1994.

As Amended October 17, 1994.

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Arnold E. Cohen, Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg, Ellers & Weir, Joseph C. Kohn, Myles H. Malman, Martin J. D'Urso (argued), Kohn, Nast & Graf, Philadelphia, PA, for appellants Mabel Brown (1995); George Burrell, Priscilla Burrell, Amber Burrell, and Monica Hilton (1996); Wallace D. Cummins (1997); K. Louise Jones and Estate of Harvey Jones (1999); James Lament (2000); John Ingram, Sr., Patricia Ingram, April Ingram Robinson and John Ingram, Jr. (2010); Mary Knight (2011); William Butler, Theresa Butler, Marvin Simpson, Alan Simpson, Karen Simpson, Donald Simpson and Brian Jackson (2014); Bessie Cunningham and Matthew Cunningham (2016).

D. Bruce Hanes (argued), D. Bruce Hanes and Associates, P.C., Philadelphia, PA, for appellants Christopher Brown, Jacqueline M. Brown (2001); Cathlene Brown (2002); Craig Brown (2003); Margherita Barbetta (2004); Mary Retta Johnson (2005); Celeste Brown (2006); Clemmon Brown (2007); Cloyd Brown (2008) and Curtis Brown (2009).

John G. Kester (argued), John W. Vardaman, Jr., Sarah H. Duggin, Philip A. Sechler, Williams & Connolly, Washington, DC, Harry A. Short, Jr., Stephen M. McManus, Liebert, Short & Hirschland, Philadelphia, PA, for appellee General Elec. Co.

Roger F. Cox, Jerome R. Richter, John J. Monsees, Blank, Rome, Comisky & McCauley, Philadelphia, PA, for appellees Southeastern Pennsylvania Transp. Authority and The Penn Central Corp.

Michael M. Malin, Thomas M. Goutman, Kathy A. O'Neill, Robert Roland, II, White and Williams, Philadelphia, PA, for appellee Monsanto Co.

Richard A. Kraemer, Suzanne H. Gross, Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman and Goggin, Philadelphia, PA, for appellee National R.R. Passenger Corp.

Robert A. Sutton, Asst. City Sol., City of Philadelphia Law Dept., Philadelphia, PA, for appellee The City of Philadelphia.

G. Daniel Bruch, Jr., Schwartz, Campbell & Detweiller, Philadelphia, PA, David C. Landin, McGuire, Woods, Battle & Boothe, Richmond, VA, for appellee Westinghouse Elec. Corp.

Laura A. Foggan, Stephen D. Goldman, Wiley, Rein & Fielding, Washington, DC, for amicus curiae appellee American Ins. Ass'n.

R. Thomas McLaughlin, Kelly, Harrington, McLaughlin & Foster, Philadelphia, PA, for appellee The Budd Co.

Before BECKER, ROTH, and LEWIS, Circuit Judge.

                     TABLE OF CONTENTS

   I. INTRODUCTION                                                              732
  II. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY                                              734
 III. SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OF THE DISTRICT COURT                         737
  IV. WAS THE IN LIMINE HEARING TAINTED BY UNFAIR PROCEDURES?                   738
      A. Inadequate Opportunity to Depose Defense Experts            ...

                    
                    

                        

                            

                                

                                    
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