Supreme Court will consider disclosure of settlement terms in death cases

The Supreme Court of Virginia has granted an appeal to litigants in Spotsylvania County who want to keep the terms of their wrongful death settlements a secret. The cases involve allegedly tainted heart medicine blamed for six deaths and four injuries. The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star is pressing to have the dollar amounts of the settlements made public. Circuit Judge Ann Hunter Simpson agreed that the settlements should be public, but delayed disclosure pending appeal.