Adams v. Shell Oil Co.

ORDER AND REASONS

MENTZ, District Judge.

In this class action suit arising from an explosion in the catalytic cracking unit at Shell Oil Company’s refinery in Norco, Louisiana, the plaintiffs orally moved for a protective order to exclude Shell’s designated corporate representative, Frank Abatte, from the deposition of the plaintiff, Richard E. Hodges. In an expedited hearing the Court orally granted the plaintiffs’ motion for the reasons stated herein.

The many depositions taken in this case to date primarily have been liability depositions, that is, depositions noticed by the plaintiffs of…