Judge rejects US law firm’s petitions concerning flight MH 370

The Chicago Tribune has reported that the two petitions filed by the US law firm Ribbeck law against Boeing and Malaysian airlines before the judge of Cook County, Chicago, for preserving evidence concerning flight MH 370 has been rejected as inadmissible. The Judge described the petitions as “improper, baseless motions”.

Judge Kathy Flanagan said in separate rulings that the law allows such filings only when the identity of potential defendants isn't known. The proper procedure would be to obtain evidence during the normal process of discovery after suing the defendants. The Judge warned Ribbeck law of possible sanctions, because the firm had filed identical petitions in 2013 both after the accident of Asiana airlines flight 214 and the accident of Lao Airlines flight 301, which had been rejected on the same grounds.

In addition, the family of one of Ribbeck’s alleged clients concerning flight MH 370 clarified that they had never mandated Ribbeck law to represent them. The Chicago-based law firm has been reported to have used questionable practices to attract clients in the past, which, if true, under EU law would amount to misleading and aggressive commercial practices.