Judge Rejected Patriot's Attempt to Hear Case in New York

Patriot Coal's bankruptcy case is being heard today in St. Louis because a federal judge in New York rejected Patriot's attempt to get it heard in the heart of Wall Street.

When U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Shelley Chapman rejected Patriot’s attempt, she made clear what the court should make a major focus of its ruling in the case.

“It is of utmost importance to note,” she declared, “what is unquestionably not in dispute.  The employees lives and livelihoods depend on the outcome of these cases.  The retirees’ health and access to healthcare depend on the outcome of these cases.  Indeed, without the dedication and sacrifice of the coal miners’ families, there would be no coal, and there would be no Patriot Coal.”

Many of the thousands of active and retired mine workers whose livelihood and health would be crippled if Patriot succeeds in breaking the promise of health care coverage that it inherited from Peabody and Arch Coal will be gathering here outside the federal court this morning to protest these immoral corporate schemes.  Stay tuned for ongoing coverage.