Richard A. Freese, Tim Goss, Sweet and Freese, Pllc, Freese & Goss, Pllc, Sheila M. Bossier and Bossier And…

Summary

The Court affirmed orders consolidating three related cases, denying severance in three cases, and denying requests to reopen discovery in all four cases. It held that the plaintiffs satisfied the requirements for party joinder and case consolidation because their claims arose from a common series of events involving the same defendants, mass-tort litigation, settlements, and alleged mishandling of settlement funds. The Court also held that the circuit court acted within its discretion in declining to sever the cases or reopen discovery, and remanded for further proceedings.