Duhon v. Koch Exploration Co.

RULING

VERON, District Judge.

This matter comes before the Court upon the motion of defendants, Koch Exploration Company and Koch Industries, Inc., to strike the jury demand of plaintiffs, Curtis J. Price and Timothy Fruge in this consolidated action. The motion gives rise to several considerations due to the hybrid nature of this consolidated action under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which embody the 1966 merger of the civil and admiralty rules. See generally, G. Gilmore & C. Black, The Law of Admiralty 2, 19 (2d ed. 1975). While there is no novelty in conducting a joint trial of…