Blaszkowski et al v. Mars Inc. et al

Filing 240

Plaintiff's MOTION for Extension of Time to File Response as to 232 First MOTION to Dismiss 156 Amended Complaint, by All Plaintiffs. (MacIvor, Catherine)

Blaszkowski et al v. Mars Inc. et al

Doc. 240

Case 1:07-cv-21221-CMA

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA MIAMI DIVISION CASE NO. 07-21221 CIV ALTONAGA/Turnoff RENEE BLASZKOWSKI, et al., individually and on behalf of others similarly situated, Plaintiffs/Class Representatives, vs. MARS INC., et al, Defendants. ________________________________/ PLAINTIFFS'/CLASS RERESENTATIVES MOTION FOR ENLARGEMENT OF TIME TO RESPOND TO DEFENDANTS' MOTION TO DISMSS Plaintiffs/Class Representatives, Renee Blaszkowski, et al., respectfully request this Honorable Court to enter an Order enlarging the time to respond to the Defendants' Consolidated Motion to Dismiss and states as follows: 1. The Plaintiffs filed their Class Action Complaint on May 9, 2009. [DE 1]. All

Defendants were served within two (2) weeks and representatives of many of the defendants contacted the undersigned within 2-10 days after it was filed. While the Plaintiffs amended their Complaint on July 25, 2007 [DE 153], the factual allegations were the same. After requesting and receiving the Plaintiff's agreement to additional extensions of time to respond, the Defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss [DE 232] and a number of other Motions to Dismiss relating to Personal Jurisdiction. [DE 197, 202-03, 206, 209, 210, 212-13] on September 20, 1997. 1 CASE NO. 07-21221 ALTONAGA/Turnoff
MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone]

Dockets.Justia.com

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2.

At a status conference, the Court requested the Defendants to file a consolidated

Motion to Dismiss and in a subsequent order set a briefing schedule which required the Plaintiff's to respond by October 29, 2007. [DE 225]. Per the Court's request, the Defendant's filed a consolidated Motion to Dismiss [DE 232] on October 12, 2006. 3. The majority of the Defendants have been on notice of the Plaintiff's claims since

at least mid-May 2007 and therefore have had five (5) months to file their 78 page Consolidated Motion to Dismiss that challenges every possible issue that could be raised as to the complaint. Since the Plaintiff's do not have the resources of the legions of lawyers representing the Defendants, the Plaintiff's require additional time to respond to the Consolidated Motion to Dismiss since, despite diligent efforts, it is impossible to file a response by October 29, 2007. Additionally, the Plaintiffs are contemporaneously filing a motion for leave to conduct personal jurisdiction discovery.1 4. The Plaintiffs' lead counsel and the person who will be responding to the Motion

will also be unavailable from October 22 through November 9, 2007 and from November 19, through November 22, 2007 due to commitments that were planned prior to the filing of the Defendants Motion to Dismiss. 5. The Plaintiffs therefore request that the deadline to respond to the Defendants'

Motion to Dismiss be extended until the Plaintiff's have concluded personal jurisdiction discovery, which, depending on the availability of the witnesses and depending on how quickly

1 The Plaintiffs originally requested that any Defendant who claimed it was an improper party to the suit to provide an affidavit with the reasons for same and the Plaintiffs would consider voluntary dismissal. While no Defendant provided one, several Defendants have cooperated prior to filing the motion to dismiss by providing the Plaintiffs with information that has resulted in several voluntary dismissals. The Plaintiffs now seek personal jurisdiction discovery because discovery has not been allowed to this point and they need to test some of the statements made in the Defendants' Motion and supporting documents. If, after wither written discovery and/or a 30(b)(6) deposition limited to personal jurisdiction, the Plaintiffs are provided with information indicating that any Defendant is not a proper party, the Plaintiffs will also voluntarily dismiss those Defendants so as not to burden the Court.

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MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone]

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documents may be produced, it is anticipated will take up to approximately December 15, 2007 to complete, which would still be far short of the Defendants' five (5) month period of time to prepare their Motion to Dismiss. 6. Even if the Court denies the Motion for Leave for Personal Jurisdiction Discovery

of certain Defendants, the Plaintiffs will nevertheless require a minimum of up to and including November 30, 2007 to file the response, which would allow the Plaintiffs approximately sixty (60) days to respond to a 78 page motion that was finalized last Friday, October 12, 2007. Given that the Defendants had five (5) months to prepare the lengthy motion, involving almost every conceivable issue in the complaint, the Plaintiffs cannot prepare and file a response more quickly despite best efforts. 7. The Plaintiffs have no desire to delay the prosecution of the case but request

additional time to conduct personal jurisdiction discovery so that they are not prejudiced in responding to the Defendant's Motion. Moreover, even if that motion is not granted, the

Plaintiffs are working as expeditiously as possible to respond to the Motion and cannot do so prior to November 30, 2007. WHEREFORE, the Plaintiffs respectfully request that the Court allow the Plaintiffs a sufficient period of time until after personal jurisdiction discovery has concluded to respond to the Defendant's Motion to Dismiss, particularly since discovery has been stayed, or in the alternative to allow at least up to and including November 30, 2007 to file a Response to the Motion to Dismiss and for all other relief that the Court deems just and proper.

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MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone]

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Rule 7.1 Certificate Prior to filing this Motion, the undersigned conferred with counsel for Nestle, Carol Licko, who, on behalf of all defense counsel, represented that they take no position on this Motion and leave resolution of this Motion to the discretion of the Court. Dated: October 17, 2007 Miami, FL S/ Catherine J. MacIvor CATHERINE J. MACIVOR (FBN 932711) [e-mail] BJORG EIKELAND (FBN 037005) [e-mail] MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA One Biscayne Tower 2 South Biscayne Boulevard -Suite 2300 Miami, Florida 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Plaintiffs

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MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone]

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE WE HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing was electronically filed with the Clerk of the Court via CM/ECF on this 19 day of October 2007. We also certify that the foregoing was served on all counsel or parties of record on the attached Service List either via transmission of Notices of Electronic Filing generated by CM/ECF or in some other authorized manner for those counsel or parties who are not authorized to receive electronic Notices of Filing. S/ Catherine J. MacIvor ________________________________________ Catherine MacIvor

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MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone]

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SERVICE LIST CASE NO. 07-21221 ALTONAGA/Turnoff CATHERINE J. MACIVOR [e-mail] JEFFREY B. MALTZMAN [e-mail] JEFFREY E. FOREMAN [e-mail] DARREN W. FRIEDMAN [e-mail] MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA One Biscayne Tower 2 South Biscayne Boulevard -Suite 2300 Miami, Florida 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Plaintiffs MARK C. GOODMAN [e-mail] JOHN B.T. MURRAY [e-mail] Squire Sanders & Demspey, LLP 1900 Phillips Point West 777 S. Flagler Drive West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorney for Defendant Target Corp. ALAN GRAHAM GREER [e-mail] Richman Greer Weil Brumbaugh Mirabito & Christensen 201 South Biscayne Boulevard ­ STE 1000 Miami, Florida 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Proctor and Gamble Co. PHILIP A. SECHLER [e-mail] THOMAS G. HENTOFF [e-mail] DANE H. BUTSWINKAS [e-mail] CHRISTOPHER M. D'ANGELO [e-mail] PATRICK J. HOULIHAN [e-mail] Williams & Connolly LLP 725 12th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Mars, Inc. OMAR ORTEGA [e-mail] Dorta and Ortega, P.A. Douglas Entrance 800 S. Douglas Road, Suite 149 Coral Gables, Florida 33134 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Mars, Inc.

JOHN J. KUSTER [e-mail] JAMES D. ARDEN [e-mail] Sidley Austin LLP 787 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10019 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Colgate Palmolive Company and Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.,

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D. JEFFREY IRELAND [e-mail] BRIAN D. WRIGHT [e-mail] LAURA A. SANOM [e-mail] Faruki Ireland & Cox P.L.L. 500 Courthouse Plaza, S.W. 10 North Ludlow St. Dayton, OH 45402 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Proctor and Gamble Co. SHERRIL M. COLOMBO [e-mail] Cozen O'Connor 200 South Biscayne Boulevard Suite 4410 Miami, Florida 33131-2303 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Del Monte Foods, Co. JOHN J. McDONOUGH [e-mail] RICHARD FAMA [e-mail] Cozen O'Connor 45 Broadway New York, NY 10006 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Del Monte Foods Co. JOHN F. MULLEN [e-mail] Cozen O'Connor The Atrium ­ 3rd Floor 1900 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Del Monte Foods Co.

OLGA M. VIEIRA [e-mail] BENJAMINE REID [e-mail] Carlton Fields, PA 100 SE 2nd Street - #4000 Miami, FL 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: Attorneys for Defendant Colgate Palmolive Company

KARA L. McCALL [e-mail] Sidley Austin, LLP One South Dearborn Chicago, Illinios 60603 Tel: [phone] / Fax: Attorneys for Defendant Colgate Palmolive Company ROBERT C. TROYER [e-mail] Hogan & Hartson LLP One Tabor Center -Suite 1500 1200 Seventeenth Street Denver, CO 80202 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Nestle U.S.A., Inc. MIRANDA L. BERGE [e-mail] CRAIG A. HOOVER [e-mail] Hogan & Hartson, LLP 555 13th Street, NW Washington, DC 20004 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Nestle U.S.A., Inc.

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CHARLES ABBOTT [e-mail] BEN BRODERICK [e-mail] GARY L. JUSTICE [e-mail] WILLIAM EDWARD WEGNER [e-mail] GAIL E. LEES [e-mail] Gibson Dunn & Crutcher L.L.P 333 S. Grand Avenue -Suite 4600 Los Angeles, CA 90071 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Nutro Products Inc. MARTY STEINBERG [e-mail] ADRIANA RIVIERE-BADELL [e-mail] Hunton & Williams, LLP 1111 Brickell Avenue - #2500 Miami, Florida 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Nutro Products Inc.

CAROL A. LICKO [e-mail] Hogan & Hartson L.L.P Mellon Financial Center 1111 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1900 Miami, Florida 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Nestle U.S.A., Inc.

HUGH J. TURNER JR. [e-mail] Akerman Senterfitt & Eidson Las Olas Centre II, Suite 1600 350 East Las Olas Blvd. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33301-2229 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Publix Supermarkets, Inc.

JOHN B. T. MURRAY, JR. ROLANDO ANDRES DIAZ [e-mail] [e-mail] Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP MARIA KAYANAN 1900 Phillips Point West [e-mail] 777 South Flagler Drive - #1900 CASSIDY YEN DANG West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 [e-mail] Kubicki Draper, P.A. Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendants Petco Animal Supplies, 25 West Flagler Street - Penthouse Miami, Florida 33130 Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Defendant Pet Supermarket, Inc.

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MALTZMAN FOREMAN, PA, 2 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone]

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MICHAEL K. KENNEDY ROBIN LEA HANGER [e-mail] [e-mail] Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, LLP MICHAEL R. ROSS 200 S. Biscayne Boulevard ­ 40th Floor [e-mail] Miami, Florida 33131-2398 Gallagher and Kennedy, PA Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] E. Camelback Road - #1100 Attorneys for Defendants Petco Animal Supplies, Phoenix, Arizona 85016 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Attorneys for Defendant Petsmart, Inc. ALEXANDER SHAKNES [e-mail] AMY W. SCHULMAN [e-mail] DLA PIPER US LLP 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10020-1104 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Menu Foods Income Fund and Menu Foods, Inc. WILLIAM C. MARTIN [e-mail] DLA PIPER US LLP 203 North LaSalle Street - #1900 Chicago, Illinois 60601-1293 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Menu Foods Income Fund and Menu Foods, Inc. RALPH G. PATINO [e-mail] DOMINICK V. TAMARAZZO [e-mail] CARLOS B. SALUP [e-mail] Patino & Associates, PA 225 Alcazar Avenue Coral Gables, Florida 33134 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Pet Supplies "Plus" and Pet Supplies Plus/USA, Inc. C. RICHARD FULMER, JR. [e-mail] Fulmer Leroy Albee Baumann & Glass, PLC 2866 East Oakland Park Boulevard Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for The Kroger Co. JAMES K. REUSS, ESQ. [e-mail] Lane Alton & Horst, LLC Two Miranova Place, Suite 500 Columbus, Ohio 43215 Tel: [phone] Attorneys for The Kroger Co.

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ROBERT A. VALEDEZ [e-mail] JAVIER T. DURAN [e-mail] Shelton & Valadez 600 Navarro, Suite 500 San Antonio, RX 78205 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for H.E. Butt Grocery Company MARCOS DANIEL JIMENEZ [e-mail] ROBERT J. ALWINE [e-mail] Kenny Nachwalter, PA 201 South Biscayne Boulevard 1100 Miami Center Miami, Florida 33131-4327 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Safeway Inc. and The Stop and Shop Supermarket Company, LLC

CRAIG KALIL [e-mail] Aballi Milne Kalil & Escagedo, PA 2250 Sun Trust International Center One SE 3rd Avenue Miami, Florida 33131 Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone] Attorneys for Albertson's LLC and New Albertson's, Inc. JASON JOFFE [e-mail] Squire Sanders & Dempsey, LLP 200 South Biscayne Boulevard Suite 4000 Miami, Florida 33131 Tel: [phone] / fax: [phone] Attorneys for Meijer, Inc.

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