Defense verdict in Claiborne County silica trial
There was a defense verdict late Thursday in a Claiborne County silica trial that lasted for at least two weeks. The details that I have are sketchy. I do not know the number of defendants, but I believe that they were sand companies. It appears that plaintiff's counsel included Tim Porter and Allen Smith and defense counsel was led by attorneys from Forman Perry.
A decade ago Claiborne County was one of the state's notorious plaintiff venues with some huge verdicts. A defense verdict in a mass tort type case in Claiborne County is evidence that civil defendants can receive a fair trial in any Mississippi state court and confirms that the "jackpot justice" era is over in Mississippi.
