A summary of Southern California-related business litigation developments during the past week.

Chemical Firm Owner Must Pay: A federal judge ruled that the president of a Sun Valley chemical storage company must pay $222,275 to cover cleanup costs of a fire at its warehouse. U.S. District Court Judge William D. Keller ruled that Marianne Pratter, president of Research Organic/Inorganic Chemical Corp., is liable. The 1985 blaze destroyed the warehouse, which contained numerous hazardous substances. (Court Case No. 88-2418. Judgment entered Oct. 1.)