$7 million verdict in Jefferson County Lead Paint Trial
There are reports of a $7 million plus jury verdict this week in a Jefferson County lead paint trial. The case was Pollard vs. Sherwin-Williams Company. It's my understanding that Plaintiff's counsel included Tim Porter and Dennis Sweet of Jackson and Michael Casano of Gulfport. Defense counsel were John Corlew and Kathy Smith of Jackson.
The trial was of a case where Circuit Court Judge Lamar Pickard granted summary judgment for the Defendant and the Court of Appeals affirmed. On appeal, the Mississippi Supreme Court reversed and remanded the case for a trial on the merits. Here is the Supreme Court's opinion. Barring a settlement, look for this verdict to be appealed.
Surely there was some other trial counsel besides Corlew and Smith in Jefferson County against Sweet. While I respect them greatly, Sweet in that county takes a different kind of opposing trial counsel. I say this from first hand experience: I've opposed Sweet in Hinds County and he couldn't get a verdict against my client. Do you know what amount Plaintiffs sought in closing? Length of trial? Any rumblings on appeal issues?