A.H. Robins Co. v. Piccinin
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
788 F.2d 994 (1986)
Relevant factsFree
Facing thousands of Dalkon Shield injury lawsuits, Robins (plaintiff) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, automatically staying suits against it alone, but many suits also named non-bankrupt codefendants (defendants) — including Robins family members, associated doctors, and its insurer Aetna — who weren't automatically protected. Robins sought a court order confirming its Aetna liability policy was estate property and an injunction staying the suits against these codefendants; the district court granted both, and the codefendants appealed.
IssueFree
Whether a bankruptcy court may stay a proceeding against a non-bankrupt codefendant of the debtor.