Perhaps most important, it sought to bind all future possible claimants.

The court said the settlement was unfair to future claimants, who would be forced to abide by its terms even though they had not agreed to it.

One thing seems certain and sad enough: the number of future claimants for representation in such a collection as this is not going to grow very quickly.

"Companies will feel pretty comfortable they can just bundle the rights of future claimants together into these cheap settlements."

Both settlements were ultimately rejected by the Court because they would exclude future claimants, or those who later developed asbestos-related illnesses.

"If future claimants are not bound by settlements, companies will be more likely to litigate than settle," said William A. Krohley, a lawyer for Hercules.

Most mainstream Christians believe Jesus to be the Messiah, and regard any other past or future claimant as false.

Similarly, only a specified number of future claimants who are unsatisfied with the companies' settlement offer will be permitted to go to court to seek higher damages.

They became part of the standard to test future claimants to the gift of prophecy.

Such trusts offer no particular tax benefits, "but they're a legal way of making it difficult for future unknown claimants to collect a judgment against you," he said.