Ortiz v. Menu Foods, Inc. et al

Filing 20

NOTICE by Menu Foods, Inc., Menu Foods Holdings, Inc. of "Conditional Transfer Order (CTO-2)" Menu Foods, Inc., Menu Foods Holdings, Inc.. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A# 2 Exhibit B# 3 Exhibit C# 4 Certificate of Service)(Love, Chad)

Ortiz v. Menu Foods, Inc. et al

Doc. 20 Att. 2

Case 1:07-cv-00323-DAE-LEK

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D O C K E TNO.I85O
BEFORE THE JWICIAL PANEL ON MWTIDISTMCT

FILED C L E B K ' SOFFICE

LITIGATION

IN RE PET FQOD PRODUCTSLIABILITY LITIGATION BEFORE WM, TERRELL HODGES, CIAIRMAN, D.LOWELL JENSEN,J. FREDERTCK MQTZ, ROBERTL. MILLER, JR,- I{ATHRYN H. VRATIL, DAWD R HANSEN AND ANTHONY T.SCIRICA, .TUDGESOF THE PANEL TRANSFERORDER
This litiguion presently consistsof thirteen actions listed on the anachedScheduleA and pending in eight districts as follows: five actionsin the WestemDisuict of Washinglon; two actions in the Westcrn District of Arkansasland one action each in the Central District of California, the District of Corurecticul,the SouthemDisu-ictof Florida, the Northem District of lllinois, the Disrricr of New Jersey,andthe EasternDistrict of Tennessee. Before the Panel arethreemotions, pursuantto 2 8 U.S,C. $ 1407,tlrat taken togetherseekcentralization coordinated consolidated pretrial for or proceedings all of theseactions.r All responding of partiesagreethat centralizationis appropriate, but differ regardingthe most appropristerransferee disuict for this litigation. ln lavor of the District of New Jerseyas transfereedistrict are moving Cenual Dimict of Califomia and SouthernDistrict of Florida plainriffs andplaintiffs in the District of Connecticut,the District of New Jersey,and threeof the WesternDistrict of Washingtonactionsbeforethe Parlel,aswell asplaintiffs in fourtccn potentially related actions. Plaintiffs in two of the five Western District of Washington acrions move for cennalization in the WesternDisnict of Washington;plaintiffs in rhc EastemDistncr of Ternessee action suppofl centralizadonthere; and plaintiffs in the other tluee Westem District of Washington actions alternatively support centralzation there. In favor of the Westem District of Arkansas as transferee disFrct areplarntiffs itr thetwo WestemDisrict of Arkansas actionsand theNorthernDistrict o f Illinois action,andplaintiffs in six potentiallyrelatedactions. Plaintiffsin rwo potentiallyrelated Disrict of New Jerseyactionsoltemativelysupportcentralization the WesternDistrict of Arkansas. in SupporringtheNorthernDistrict of Iltinois astransferee disrrictareall responding defendants, including M m u Foods, Inc., andits related entities, plaintiffsin onepotentially and relatcdaction. In favor of the C e n t r a lDistrict of California as transferee disrict are plaintiffs in nine potentially relatedactions. F i n a l l y ,plaintiffin a potentiallyrelated NorthcrnDistrict of Ohio acrionsuggesrs cenrralizarion the in Northern District of Ohio. On.thebasisof the papersfiled andhearingsession held, the Panelfinds thanhe acions in this
' JudgeMiller did not participate in the decision of rhis rnancr. I The Pancl has beennotificd of 97 poteotially relatcd actionspending in multiple federal disn-icts. fn ligtrt of the Panel's disposition of this docket,theseactionswill be treatedasporenrial tag-alongactions. SeeRules 7 . 4 a n d7 5, R P . J . P . M . L . , 1 9 9 . R D " 4 2 5 , 4 3 5 - 3 6 F (2001).

Dockets.Justia.com

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-2of litigation involve common questions fact, and tbat centdizatisn under Seclion i407 in the District of New Jerscywill servedreconvmienceof thepartiesandwitnesscsandpromotethejust andeffcient conduct of the litigation. AII actions stem from the recall of pet food productsallegedly taintedby under melaminefound in wheatglutenimportedftom Chinaandusedin theseproducts. Centralization eliminateduplicativediscovery;avoid inconsistent pretrialrulings, Section1407is necessaryinorderto especiallywith respect classcertification;andconselve resoruces theparfies,their counseland of to the the judieiary. Although several disficts could bc described as an appropriatetransfereeforum for this nationwide litigation, we are persuaded selectthe District of New Jersey. Precial proceediags to are advancingwell thereand aboutone-third of all pending actionsare alreadyin this district. IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED *rat, pursuart to 28 U.S.C. $ 1407,the actions listed ou the ertachedScheduleA and pending outsidethe District of NEw Jerscyaretransferredro the Dstrict of New Jersey and, with the consent of that court, assignedto the Honorable Noel L. Hillmarr for coordinatedor consolidated prekial procecdings with the actionspendingthereand listed on Schedule A.

F O R T H E PANEL:

.Jah^Nt1#7;lc,,.'
Wm. Tcrell Hodges Chairman

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SCIIEDULEA Liabilitv Liti&atiol hoducts MDJ+I850 In rePa Food
Westem District of Arkans.as Income Fund,et al., C.A. No. 5:07-5053 C h a r l e sRay Sims,et aI.v. Menu Foods Richard ScottWiden,et al. v. Menu Footls,Inc., et aI., C.A. No. 5:0?-5055 9entrat Disnict of California S h i r l e ySexrcnv. Menu FoodsIncomeFund, et aI.,C,A. No- 2:07-1958 Distri ct-o[eonnecticut v. L a u r i A. Osborne Menu Foods,.Inc., C.A. No. 3:0?-469 SouthernDistrict of Florida C h r i s r i n aTrotanov. Menu Foods,Inc., et al., C.A. No. 0;07-60428 Nqrthern Disnict of Iilinois D a w n Majerczykv.Menu Foods,Inc.,C.A, No. 1:07-1543 Djstrict of New Jersel et J a r e d Worlonan, al. v. MenuFoadsLtd., et a/., C.A. No. I :07-I 338 EastefnDistrict of,Tennessge L i z a j e a nHo[t, et al. v. Menu Foods, Inc.,C.A. No. 3:07-94 WesternDistricr of WgshinClon T o m Whaleyv. Menu Foods,Inc., et a/., C.A. No. 2:07-41I SmceyHeller, et al. v. Menu Foods, C.A No. 2:Q7-453 A u d r e yKornelius,et al. v. MenuFoods,C.A. No. 2:07-454 E. Suzanne Johnson et al. v. Menu Foods,C.A. No. 2:07-455 Miehele Suggen,et al. v. Menu Foods, et al., C.A. No. 2;O7457

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