"A California appeals court has ruled that Waters & Kraus, one of the nation's leading asbestos litigation firms, did not engage in 'judicially sanctioned extortion,' as a Los Angeles trial judge contended last year." The trial judge had been highly critical of the "asbestos two-step" practice of filing in Texas in order to take advantage of favorable discovery rules, dismissing the case, and refiling in California. [Amanda Bronstad, NLJ; earlier here, here, and here]