The Phipps Corporation v. Ganz, Inc. et al

Filing 6

ORDER Granting 5 Stipulation RE CONSOLIDATION. Signed by Judge Jeffrey S. White on 1/29/09. (jjo, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/29/2009)

Case M:08-cv-01987-JSW

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Filed 01/28/2009

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Rosemary M. Rivas (State Bar No. 209147) Email: [e-mail] Mark Punzalan (State Bar No. 247599) Email: [e-mail] FINKELSTEIN THOMPSON LLP 100 Bush Street, Suite 1450 San Francisco, California 94104 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] Counsel for Plaintiff The Phipps Corporation UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CASE NO. M-08-CV-01987 JSW In Re: Webkinz Antitrust Litigation STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER RE CONSOLIDATION This document also relates to: NUTS FOR CANDY, a Sole Proprietorship, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. GANZ, INC. and GANZ U.S.A. LLC, Defendants. CASE NO. CV-08-5235 JSW This document also relates to: THE PHIPPS CORPORATION, d/b/a School-Crossing, Inc., on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, Plaintiff, v. GANZ, INC. and GANZ U.S.A. LLC, CASE NO. CV-08-2873 JSW

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Defendants. STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER REGARDING CONSOLIDATION CASE NO. M-08-CV-01987 JSW

Case M:08-cv-01987-JSW

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The Parties, by and through their counsel of record, hereby stipulate as follows: WHEREAS, on October 17, 2008, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated the following actions in this Court for pretrial proceedings: · · · Nuts for Candy v. Ganz, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:08-2873; Scott Comstock, et al. v. Ganz, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:08-4167; and Cortes Country Stores, Inc., etc. v. Ganz, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:0811184. WHEREAS, the above three actions (collectively captioned as In Re: Webkinz Antitrust Litigation, Case No. M-08-cv-01987 JSW), were brought against the same Defendants, Ganz, Inc. and Ganz U.S.A., LLC, and all allege that Defendants implemented an illegal tying arrangement requiring retailers to buy unrelated products from them in order to purchase their popular Webkinz toys; WHEREAS, on November 19, 2008, Plaintiff The Phipps Corporation, d/b/a School-Crossing, Inc., filed an action against Defendants Ganz, Inc. and Ganz U.S.A., LLC in this Court titled The Phipps Corporation, d/b/a School-Crossing, Inc. v. Ganz, Inc., Case No. CV-08-5235 (hereinafter, "School-Crossing"); WHEREAS, on December 4, 2008, School-Crossing was deemed related to Nuts for Candy v. Ganz, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:08-2873, and was assigned to this Court, as they both involve substantially the same defendants; arise from the same or closely related transactions, happenings, or events; and call for determination of the same or substantially related or similar questions of law and fact; WHEREAS, in an effort to effectively manage this litigation and move it forward in an efficient manner, IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED THAT: The action titled The Phipps Corporation, d/b/a School-Crossing, Inc. v. Ganz, Inc., Case No. CV-08-5235 JSW should be consolidated with In Re: Webkinz Antitrust Litigation, Case No. M-08-cv-01987 JSW for pretrial proceedings. -1STIPULATION REGARDING CONSOLIDATION CASE NO. M-08-CV-01987 JSW

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Dated: January 27, 2009

FINKELSTEIN THOMPSON LLP By: /s/ Rosemary M. Rivas Rosemary M. Rivas
100 Bush Street, Suite 1450 San Francisco, California 94104 Telephone: [phone] Attorneys for Plaintiff The Phipps Corporation

Dated: January 27, 2009

COTCHETT, PITRE & McCARTHY
By: /s/ Steven N. Williams Steven N. Williams 840 Malcolm Road, Suite 200 Burlingame, California 94010 Telephone: [phone] Attorneys for Plaintiff Nuts for Candy

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Dated: January 27, 2009 Dated: January 27, 2009

PHILLIPS & GARCIA, LLP
By: /s/ Andrew J. Garcia Andrew J. Garcia 13 Ventura Drive North Dartmouth, MA 02747 Telephone: [phone] Attorneys for Plaintiff Cortes Country Stores, Inc.

GOLD & COULSON
By: /s/ Arthur S. Gold Arthur S. Gold 11 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 2402 Chicago, Illinois 60603 Telephone: [phone]

PHILLIPS & GARCIA, LLP
By: /s/ Paul Gerard Hamel Paul Gerard Hamel 13 Ventura Drive North Dartmouth, MA 02747 Telephone: [phone] Attorneys for Plaintiffs Scott Comstock, Sherri Comstock, d/b/a The Cheshire Cat and The Spotted Crocodile

-2STIPULATION REGARDING CONSOLIDATION CASE NO. M-08-CV-01987 JSW

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Dated: January 27, 2009

BAKER & HOSTETLER LLP
By: /s/ Robin Harvey Robin Harvey 312 Walnut Street, Suite 3200 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Telephone: [phone] Attorneys for Defendants GANZ, INC. and GANZ U.S.A., LLC

-3STIPULATION REGARDING CONSOLIDATION CASE NO. M-08-CV-01987 JSW

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Pursuant to the Parties'stipulation, and good cause appearing:

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that The Phipps Corporation, d/b/a School-Crossing, Inc.
v. Ganz, Inc., Case No. CV-08-5235 JSW is hereby consolidated with In Re: Webkinz Antitrust

Litigation, Case No. M-08-cv-01987 JSW for pretrial proceedings.

January 29 Dated: _______________, 2009

________________________________________ HONORABLE JEFFREY S. WHITE

-4[PROPOSED] ORDER REGARDING CONSOLIDATION CASE NO. M-08-CV-01987 JSW