Texas High Court: Successor Liability Law not Retroactive

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that a state law limiting corporations’ "successor liability" for personal injury claims from asbestos exposure violates the state constitution when applied to a common law suit that pre-dated the enactment of the law. In Barbara Robinson V. Crown Cork & Seal Co. Inc. (No. 06-0714) the Court was asked to determine whether Chapter 149 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code violates the prohibition against retroactive laws contained in article I, section 16 of the Texas Constitution.