§ 1-75.12.  Stay of proceeding to permit trial in a foreign jurisdiction or filing of a bankruptcy trust claim.

(a) When Stay May be Granted. - If, in any action pending in any court of this State, the judge shall find that it would work substantial injustice for the action to be tried in a court of this State, the judge on motion of any party may enter an order to stay further proceedings in the action in this State. A moving party under this subsection must stipulate his consent to suit in another jurisdiction found by the judge to provide a convenient, reasonable and fair place of trial.

(a1) [Bankruptcy Trust Claims.] - In any civil action asserting personal injury claiming disease based upon exposure to asbestos, if a defendant has a reasonable belief that the plaintiff can file additional bankruptcy trust claims, the court on motion of the defendant may enter an order to stay the civil action until the plaintiff files the bankruptcy trust claim.

(b) Subsequent Modification of Order to Stay Proceedings. - In a proceeding in which a stay has been ordered under this section, jurisdiction of the court continues for a period of five years from the entry of the last order affecting the stay; and the court may, on motion and notice to the parties, modify the stay order and take such action as the interests of justice require. When jurisdiction of the court terminates by reason of the lapse of five years following the entry of the last order affecting the stay, the clerk shall without notice enter an order dismissing the action.

(c) Review of Rulings on Motion. - Whenever a motion for a stay made pursuant to subsection (a) above is granted, any nonmoving party shall have the right of immediate appeal. Whenever such a motion is denied, the movant may seek review by means of a writ of certiorari and failure to do so shall constitute a waiver of any error the judge may have committed in denying the motion. (1967, c. 954, s. 2; 2018-4, s. 3.)