Tillery
Reeg
Crowder
Another day of motions is set in a series of proposed class actions over alleged water contamination caused by a popular weed killer.
Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder may take up venue transfer motions filed by the defense or on-going discovery issues.
The last motion hearing in the case on Feb. 8 began as a hearing on discovery problems but ended up as a hallway conference between plaintiffs' attorneys Stephen Tillery and Christine Moody and the many attorneys representing defendants.
The hearing is slated to begin at 10 a.m.
Tillery, representing a number of water districts and municipalities, has sued seven companies that make products containing atrazine, a common herbicide.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ruled that atrazine is safe in drinking water up to three parts per billion.
According to the complaints, even smaller levels of atrazine can cause medical problems in human beings.
Led by lead plaintiff Holiday Shores Sanitation District, the proposed class actions have grown to include cities in Macoupin and other surrounding counties.
The defendants have filed motions to spin off those plaintiffs that do not fall within Madison County's borders.
The 2004 cases were originally assigned to Madison County Circuit Judge Daniel Stack. They were added to Crowder's docket in August 2009 due to Stack's announced retirement plans.
The defendants are as follows and are represented by:
Sipcam is represented by Geoffrey Bryce.
Growmark and Dow Chemical Company are represented by Robert Shultz Jr.
Syngenta is represented by Kurtis Reeg.
United Agri-Products Inc. is represented by Reeg in a special limited appearance.
Drexel Chemical Company is represented by Daniel Cray.
Makhteshim-Agan of North America is represented by Russell Scott.
The atrazine cases are Madison case numbers 04-L-708 to 04-L-713.