The defendants' push to stay Gulf of Mexico oil spill cases hit another snag in Mobile, Ala. A second federal judge in the Southern District of Alabama on Tuesday denied requests by BP PLC and Halliburton Energy Services Inc. to delay two proposed class actions over economic losses.

U.S. District Judge Kristi DuBose denied stays in Bon Secour Fisheries Inc., et al. v. BP, filed on behalf of a fishery and a seafood processor, and Deupree Outdoor Guide Services Inc. v. BP, filed on behalf of a charter fishing company. She offered no explanation.

Alabama plaintiffs firm Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles has filed another class action lawsuit against BP and other companies related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  The lawsuit, which was announced Thursday and alleges negligence and wanton misconduct, also names Haliburton and Cameron International as defendants.

According to the petition, the firm seeks to, "represent property owners and rental agencies that have incurred damages related to the disaster, including: real property damages; personal property damages; loss of profits and earning capacity; loss of commercial and subsistence use of natural resources; increased costs of public services; and, loss of revenues."

The company that owns the now-sunken drilling rig oozing oil into the Gulf of Mexico is counting on a 150-year-old maritime law to limit its damages. To a mere $26.7 million.

That's how much Transocean Ltd. said it should pay in a motion filed on Thursday in federal court in the Southern District of Texas. Citing an 1851 law aimed at shipping mishaps, Transocean said its damages should be limited to $26.7 million in unpaid drilling fees earned before the April 20 explosion, noting the Deepwater Horizon rig is otherwise worth nothing now.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - Heavyweight Alabama trial lawyer Jere Beasley is among those filing lawsuits over an explosion and oil spill at an offshore drilling site owned by BP.

(MONTGOMERY)— Alabama Attorney General Troy King traveled to Jackson, Mississippi, yesterday for a meeting of the Gulf Coast States Attorneys General with Mr. Jack Lynch, Senior General Counsel for the United States for British Petroleum.

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana, May 10, 2010 (ENS) - The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is keeping lawyers busy. At least half a dozen class action lawsuits have been filed on behalf of fishermen, shrimpers, restaurant owners, real estate brokers, property owners, and other Gulf coast residents affected by the oil a day flowing for the past two weeks from the wellhead left uncapped by the explosion and sinking of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon in April.

The defendants in all these lawsuits include various divisions of oil giant BP, formerly British Petroleum, which is considered the responsible party in this incident; Transocean, Ltd., the owners/operators of the Deepwater Horizon; Halliburton Energy, which was involved in "cementing" operations to cap the oil rig when the explosion occurred; and Cameron International Corporation, manufacturers of the rig's blow-out-preventers, which failed to operate properly and prevent the oil spill.

Drill, baby, drill is turning into sue, baby, sue. Class-action lawsuits against operators of the exploded Gulf of Mexico oil rig multiplied Friday as the oil began washing onto Louisiana shores. Commercial fisherman, shrimpers, charter-boat operators and beachfront property owners began signing up as plaintiffs in at least 18 proposed suits already filed in courthouses from Texas to Florida. More court actions were expected.

Toyota Motor Corp.'s legal problems aren't limited to the federal multidistrict litigation over unintended acceleration of its vehicles. Scores of lawsuits are working their way through state courts across the nation, and some of those cases could pave the road for the MDL.

The first hearing in the MDL won't take place until later this month, but some lawyers with cases pending in various state courts already have begun deposing Toyota executives.