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In reply to the discussion: Know your BFEE: Siegelman Judge is a big-time War Profiteer [View all]Dustlawyer
(10,495 posts)Carl Barbier, Federal Judge in New Orleans over the BP oil spill case. Under the type of case this started out to be, a MDL (Multi-District Litigation) case, the Judge appoints a Plaintiff's Steering Committee to handle the Plaintiff's side of the case. This is due to the sheer number of different Plaintiffs firms involved in the case. He appointed several firms, mainly from N.O., to the Committee. To avoid tria last Feb., BP came up with the Common Benefit Fund to bribe the steering Committee with up to 600 million dollars in fees and expenses. They received about 100 million for getting the Judge to move the trial date and letting BP draft the class action settlement agreement that the Judge just signed off on. The settlement screws a majority of the Plaintiffs, but the Judge wants all cases in the class action settlement. Anytime BP wants the Judge to do something, they strike a deal with the Steering Committee members and viola, the Judge signs an Order to that affect. BP has the media and the politicians in their pockets, and seemingly, the Steering Committee and the Judge. The Courts have been stacked by Repugs and corporations are getting legislation passed that either prevents a suit, caps the damages, or raises the level of proof required to make a case. When you hear the words "Tort Reform," you should tell them to leave your rights alone! These corrupt Judges make me sick!