Supreme Court won't block suit in I-35W bridge collapse

Bridge deck
A collapsed portion of the I-35W bridge deck.
National Transportation Safety Board

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court will not block Minnesota's lawsuit against a California design firm over the deadly 2007 interstate bridge collapse in Minneapolis that killed 13 people.

The justices did not comment Tuesday in turning down an appeal by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. of Pasadena, Calif., arguing that too much time has passed since the bridge was built in the 1960s.

The Minnesota Supreme Court earlier ruled that lawsuit could go forward, relying on laws the state legislature passed in 2008 allowing Minnesota to seek reimbursement from parties that may have contributed to the 2007 collapse. A federal investigation found a design flaw was a key cause.

The state court said those reimbursement laws do not violate Jacobs' constitutional rights.

The case is Jacobs Engineering v. Minnesota, 11-1074

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