AO No. 2006-6 Prohibition on “Bundling” Cases

by order entered June 19, 2007.] The Court has determined that trial courts should be precluded from “bundling” asbestosrelated cases for settlement or trial. It is the opinion of the Court that each case should be decided on its own merits, and not in conjunction with other cases. Thus, no asbestos-related disease personal injury action shall be joined with any other such case for settlement or for any other purpose, with the exception of discovery. This order in no way precludes or diminishes the ability of a court to consolidate asbestos-related disease personal injury actions for discovery purposes only. For purposes of this administrative order, “asbestos-related disease personal injury actions” include all cases in which it is alleged that a party has suffered personal injury caused by exposure to asbestos, regardless of the theory of recovery. [Statements related to the entry of AO No. 2006-6 appear at 476 Mich xlv (2006). Statements related to the retention order appear at 478 Mich lvi (2007).]