Marriott to Face Suit in Massachusetts Over Drownings in Canada

Three family members may sue Marriott International Inc., a subsidiary, and a Canadian franchisee in Massachusetts over the drowning deaths of a father and his 2-year-old son in a Montreal hotel pool because the commonwealth is a sufficiently convenient place for the litigation, the First Circuit ruled.

The trial court didn’t assign enough importance to non-Canadians’ testimony, including the central testimony of the two surviving children who were in the pool at the time, Judge David J. Barron said Jan. 15 for the appeals court, reinstating the case.

The companies aren’t entitled to dismissal on jurisdiction grounds either, the...