W.Va. governor seeks review of $400M DuPont case

He wants it to clarify whether defendants have a constitutional right to be heard--not just the right to file a petition--when they are hit with punitive damages.

The court recently refused to hear appeals in unrelated cases involving a combined $664 million in damages.

That prompted Manchin to file a "friend of the court" brief in the DuPont matter. He says it's an issue of vital public importance.

Neither DuPont spokesman Anthony Farina nor plaintiffs' attorney Mike Papantonio immediately commented Wednesday.

The DuPont case includes $196.2 million in punitive damages awarded to residents living near a former zinc-smelting plant in Spelter.