Lawyers for the tire company had tried protect chief executive John Lampe from what they argued was the nuisance of a deposition. They allege that the tread peeled off the Firestone ATX tires on their Ford Explorer as they drove on Interstate 35 from San Antonio to Laredo, causing the vehicle to roll over. A trial is scheduled for Jan. 21.
Courts often prohibit plaintiffs from taking a deposition from a company's chief executive.
The Texas Supreme Court upheld the principle recently in a case involving telecommunications companies near Dallas. Lampe became chief executive Oct. 10, replacing Masa-toshi Ono, who resigned. E.W. Scripps Publications , All Rights Reserved. Site users are subject to our User Agreement . We also have a Privacy Policy .