Dow Chemical Co. v. Garcia

PHILLIPS, Chief Justice, and GONZALEZ, HIGHTOWER, HECHT, ENOCH and SPECTOR, Justices, join.

In these two original proceedings, the Dow Chemical Company complains of trial court orders severing claims against it from claims against the Dow Corning Corporation and others concerning silicone gel breast implants. Because the present procedural posture of these cases proscribes the relief Dow Chemical seeks, we dismiss its petitions for writ of mandamus as moot.

Dow Chemical and Corning Incorporated each own half of the Dow Corning Corporation, a leading manufacturer of silicone products, including…