Legal News

Federal judge argues futility of sealing Toyota suit

By Richard Binder

U.S. District Judge George H. King has refused to seal a wrongful termination suit in which a former in-house attorney for Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. has asserted that the auto manufacturer hid and destroyed evidence in numerous rollover lawsuits. The suit, filed on July 24, threatens to reopen personal injury suits against Toyota brought on behalf of victims of rollover accidents.

The suit asserts violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Dimitrios P. Biller, who from 2003 until his resignation in 2007 was national managing counsel in the legal services group in charge of Toyota's rollover program, claimed that Toyota engaged in a conspiracy to destroy and hide evidence, which he said he was "ethically and legally obligated to turn over." He also accused Toyota of committing "criminal acts" in the rollover litigation.

Biller, a former partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, received a $3.7 million severance.

Full story at NLJ.com.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on September 22, 2009 (boomark / email).