Judge Sends Questions to Parties For Assessing Macondo Negligence

摘要

Tasked with ruling whether BP and its partners in the Macondo well were negligent or grossly negligent in connection with the 2010 disaster, the presiding judge last week gave out a clue in how he will reach that decision. Late Wednesday, New Orleans-based US District Judge Carl Barbier issued an order setting dates for the various companies involved to file conclusions about the evidence presented during the first phase of the Macondo trial (NGWApr.22'13). In his order, Barbier asked the attorneys to answer seven questions that deal with the subject of gross negligence. The first phase of the Macondo trial ended last week, but left a window open for a flood of new lawsuits being filed against BP.