Sating v. Rayonier Inc. et al

Filing 35

ORDER finding as moot Agreed Motion to Transfer and Consolidate Related Cases and Designate Caption for Consolidated Cases (20 in case 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT; 10 in case 3:14-cv-1398-J-32PDB; 13 in 3:14-cv-1403-J-32MCR; 8 in 3:14-cv-1429-J-32MCR); gra nting Renewed Agreed Motion to Transfer and Consolidate Related Cases and Designate Caption for Consolidated Cases (31 in case 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT; 18 in case 3:14-cv-1398-J-32PDB; 19 in 3:14-cv-1403-J-32MCR; 32 in 3:14-cv-1429-J-32MCR; 20 in case 3 :14-cv-1474-J-32JRK). These case are consolidated under case 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT and the new caption set forth in the Order. The Clerk should terminate all deadlines and motions in the other four cases and close the cases. Case 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT is re-designated a Track Three case. The deadline a Case Management Report and the deadline to file an amended complaint are suspended. Signed by Judge Timothy J. Corrigan on 1/8/2015. (BJB)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
JACKSONVILLE DIVISION
MARY SATING, individually and on
behalf of all others similarly situated,
Plaintiff,
v.

Case No. 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT

RAYONIER INC., et al.,
Defendants.
SAMUEL KEASLER, individually and
on behalf of all others similarly
situated,
Plaintiff,
v.

Case No. 3:14-cv-1398-J-32PDB

RAYONIER INC., et al.,
Defendants.
LAKE WORTH FIREFIGHTERS’
PENSION TRUST FUND, on behalf of
itself and all others similarly situated,
Plaintiff,
v.

Case No. 3:14-cv-1403-J-32MCR

RAYONIER INC., et al.,
Defendants.

MICHAEL CHRISTIE, individually
and on behalf of all others similarly
situated,
Plaintiff,
v.

Case No. 3:14-cv-1429-J-32MCR

RAYONIER INC., et al.,
Defendants.
WILL BROWN, individually and on
behalf of all others similarly situated,
Plaintiff,
v.

Case No. 3:14-cv-1474-J-32JRK

RAYONIER INC., et al.,
Defendants.
ORDER
These cases are before the Court on the Renewed Agreed Motion to Consolidate
and Designate Caption for Related Cases and the Joint Notice Pursuant to Order of
December 23, 2014, filed in each of these cases on January 6, 2015. (Sating v. Rayonier,
Inc., 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT, Doc. 31; Keasler v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1398-J-32PDB,
Doc. 18; Lake Worth Firefighters’ Pension Trust Fund v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1403J-32MCR, Doc. 19; Christie v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1429-J-32MCR, Doc. 32; Brown
v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1474-J-32JRK, Doc. 20.) The parties in four of these five
related securities class actions had previously moved to consolidate all the cases before
one judge and under one caption and complaint and to proceed with a specified case

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schedule. The Court determined that motion was moot to the extent the cases all been
reassigned to the undersigned, but otherwise took the motion under advisement until
the parties could advise as to whether the one remaining case, Brown, should be
included in the consolidated matter as well.
In the renewed motion and joint notice, the parties in all five cases now agree
that Brown should be consolidated with the other cases. Upon due consideration, the
Court agrees that all these cases should be consolidated under one caption and
complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42 and consistent with 15
U.S.C. § 78-u-4(a)(3)(B)(ii).
The Court also largely agrees with the outline of parties’ proposed plan for
proceeding with the initial stages of the case. However, the parties are advised that
assignment of newly-filed cases is made at random, and that there is no mechanism
to “automatically consolidate” new cases that might “raise the same or similar issues
against all or some of the Defendants” as the parties’ propose. Instead, the Local Rules
direct that counsel of record has “a continuing duty promptly to inform the Court and
counsel of the existence of” similar or related cases by filing and serving a “Notice of
Pendency of Related Actions.” M.D. Fla. R. 1.04(d).
Accordingly, it is hereby
ORDERED:
1.

The Agreed Motion to Transfer and Consolidate Related Cases and

Designate Caption for Consolidated Cases (Sating v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1395-J32JBT, Doc. 20; Keasler v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1398-J-32PDB, Doc. 10; Lake Worth

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Firefighters’ Pension Trust Fund v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1403-J-32MCR, Doc. 13;
Christie v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1429-J-32MCR, Doc. 8) is MOOT.
2.

The Renewed Agreed Motion to Transfer and Consolidate Related Cases

and Designate Caption for Consolidated Cases (Sating v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1395J-32JBT, Doc. 31; Keasler v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1398-J-32PDB, Doc. 18; Lake
Worth Firefighters’ Pension Trust Fund v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1403-J-32MCR, Doc.
19; Christie v. Rayonier, Inc., 3:14-cv-1429-J-32MCR, Doc. 32; Brown v. Rayonier, Inc.,
3:14-cv-1474-J-32JRK, Doc. 20) is GRANTED to the extent set forth below.
3.

The above-captioned cases are CONSOLIDATED for all purposes under

Case No. 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT and the following caption:
In re Rayonier Inc. Securities
Litigation

4.

Case No. 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT

The Clerk should terminate all pending deadlines and motions in Case

Nos. 3:14-cv-1398-J-32PDB, 3:14-cv-1403-J-32MCR, 3:14-cv-1429-J-32MCR, and 3:14cv-1474-J-32JRK, and close the cases.
5.

The Clerk should re-designate Case No. 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT as a Track

Three case. The deadline for the parties to meet and to file the required Case
Management Report is suspended, however, until further order of the Court.
6.

The January 20, 2015 deadline for plaintiffs to file an amended complaint

in Case No. 3:14-cv-1395-J-32JBT remains suspended. The Court will set a deadline to
file a consolidated complaint and a briefing schedule for any motion to dismiss in any

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order appointing lead plaintiff and lead counsel.

DONE AND ORDERED at Jacksonville, Florida this 8th day of January, 2015.

bjb
Copies:
Counsel of record

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