Jan. 25, 2003

Home Stretch

Forum Column - By John P. McGill - The California Supreme Court's decision in Jimenez v. Superior Court, 29 Cal. 4th 473 (2002), held that a manufacturer can be strictly liable for defective products installed in single-family homes. The decision is significant not only because it extends tort liability to the manufacturer of component parts of a house but also because it demonstrates the inherent problems of applying strict liability in construction defect litigation.