Circuit Court Judge Neil Thomas said he will rule within a week on the status of a class action in his court in the Tri State Crematory cases.

Judge Thomas earlier set a class action involving five different funeral homes.

Lawsuits were also filed in Federal Court at Rome, Ga., and Judge Harold Murphy set a class action there as well. The class action in Georgia has a longer time period than the one set by Judge Thomas, but it allows fewer claims for action. The case involves the discovery of 339 uncremated bodies in mid-February 2001 at the Marsh family crematory at Noble, Ga., near LaFayette.

A number of the bodies were sent by Chattanooga funeral homes.

Attorneys told Judge Thomas that the class action decision here should not be delayed until further despite what happens on the Georgia cases. Judge Murphy plans to go to trial on March 1.

Judge Thomas agreed, saying, "We've got to get this steam engine cranked back up."

Buckner-Rush Funeral Home of Cleveland has reached a settlement with plaintiffs.

Crematory operator Brent Marsh faces 787 felony counts. His trial is due to be held at LaFayette sometime this year using a jury from another county.

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