HARRIS v. TRANSOCEAN LTD., BP, PLC et al

Filing 31

ORDER - The Motions to Stay Proceedings 10 , 15 are hereby Granted. -- All proceedings temporarily stayed. -- Parties shall file status report as soon as decision has been made by JPML. - - Signed by SENIOR JUDGE LACEY A COLLIER on June 3, 2010. (cbj)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT N O R T H E R N DISTRICT OF FLORIDA P E N S A C O L A DIVISION N IC H O L A S HARRIS and KRISTI CHIODO, Individually and on Behalf Of Others Similarly Situated, P la in tif f s , v. T R A N S O C E A N , LTD. (TRANSOCEAN ENTITY); B P , PLC; TRANSOCEAN OFFSHORE D E E P W A T E R DRILLING, INC., (TRANSOCEAN E N T IT Y ); TRANSOCEAN DEEPWATER, INC, (T R A N S O C E A N ENTITY); BP PRODUCTS N O R T H AMERICA, INC.; BP AMERICA, INC.; C A M E R O N INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION a n d , HALIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC., D e f e n d a n ts. _______________________________/ O R D E R STAYING ALL PROCEEDINGS T H I S CAUSE comes before the Court on Motions to Stay Proceedings filed by D e f e n d a n ts BP Products North America Inc. and BP America Inc. (doc. 10), and by D e f e n d a n t Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. (doc. 15). Plaintiffs have filed a response (doc. 2 9 ). The complaint seeks damages arising out of the recent oil rig disaster in the Gulf of M e x ic o . Defendants request that this Court stay all proceedings in this case pending a ruling Case No. 3:10-cv-134/LAC/MD

from the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ("JPML") on whether numerous related c a s e s involving the disaster, including the instant cause, will be consolidated. Upon review o f the motions and response, the Court finds the stay will preserve judicial resources in the lik e ly event that the cases are consolidated. Accordingly, it is ORDERED AND A D J U D G E D as follows: 1 . The Motions to Stay Proceedings (docs. 10, 15) are hereby GRANTED. 2 . All proceedings in this case are temporarily stayed, pending the JPML's final d e c is io n on whether to consolidate this and other actions arising from the BP oil rig e x p lo s io n and subsequent oil spill. 3 . The Parties shall file a status report as soon as a decision has been made by the J P M L on the matter of consolidation. O R D E R E D on this 3rd day of June, 2010.

s/L.A. Collier Lacey A. Collier S e n io r United States District Judge

Case No. 3:10-cv-134/LAC/MD

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