NEW ORLEANS - Lawyers for thousands of people who say Chinese drywall made their homes unlivable have told a federal judge that the manufacturer held back critical information for years by failing to reveal a former official's whereabouts.

Russ Herman and Christopher Seeger told Judge Eldon Fallon that one document from the man's computers showed that Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd. and its parent companies plotted in 2009 to hold back unfavorable evidence.

They say the document sent to Peng Wenlong also refutes claims that the parent companies had nothing to do with running Taishan. 

Taishan attorney Bernard Taylor said the years are irrelevant because Tuesday's hearing was limited to two questions related only to contempt of court proceedings: Where Peng was and where his documents were. He says both of those were answered within months of being raised.