Tweet et al v. Syngenta AG et al

Filing 272

ORDER setting settlement status conference on January 25, 2018 at 1:00pm to take place at the Minnesota Fourth Judicial District, Hennepin County District Court. See Order for details. Signed by Judge David R. Herndon on 1/4/2018. (ceh)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
--------------------------------------------------------------IN RE SYNGENTA MASS TORT ACTIONS
--------------------------------------------------------------Judge David R. Herndon
This Document Relates to:
Poletti, et al. v. Syngenta AG, et al.
No. 3:15-cv-01221-DRH
and
Tweet et al. v. Syngenta AG et al.
No. 3:16-cv-00255-DRH
ORDER SETTING SETTLEMENT STATUS CONFERENCE
Several lawsuits have been filed in multiple federal and state courts arising
from Syngenta’s development and sale of corn seeds containing genetically
modified traits known as MIR 162 and Event 5307 before China’s approval to
import corn with those traits. These include:
The multidistrict litigation (“MDL”) proceeding in the United
States District Court for the District of Kansas, MDL No.
2591, before U.S. District Judge John W. Lungstrum and U.S.
Magistrate Judge James P. O’Hara;
Tweet et al v. Syngenta AG et al, No. 3:16-cv-00255, and
Poletti et al v. Syngenta AG et al, No. 3:15-cv-01221, pending
in the United States District Court for the Southern District of
Illinois before U.S. District Judge David. R. Herndon; and
In re Syngenta Litigation, No. 27-cv-15-3785, pending in the
Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court before Judge Laurie
Miller.

The above-mentioned courts all appointed Ellen K. Reisman as Special Master for
Settlement.
On June 23, 2017, the United States District Court for the District of
Kansas entered a judgment following a class jury verdict in favor of Plaintiffs in
the Kansas class action. On September 11, 2017, the Minnesota class trial began
before Judge Miller. On September 25, 2017, Settlement Counsel for Plaintiffs
and Syngenta entered into an agreement on broad terms of settlement, and the
jury in the Minnesota class trial was dismissed.
On December 19, 2017, a mandatory settlement conference was held in the
United States District Court for the District of Kansas before Judges Lungstrum,
Herndon, and Miller. The judges have consulted and agreed that a subsequent
mandatory

settlement

status

conference

is

necessary

and

appropriate.

Accordingly, it is hereby:
ORDERED that a subsequent mandatory settlement status conference shall
be held on January 25, 2018 at 1:00 p.m., located at the Minnesota Fourth
Judicial District, Hennepin County District Court with Judges Miller, Lungstrum,
and Herndon presiding. The Courtroom number for this conference is yet to be
determined.

Attorneys should check the courtroom monitors for the proper

courtroom number when they arrive;
ORDERED that at this settlement conference Special Master Reisman and
the Parties will report to the Court on the progress of finalization of settlement

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documentation with respect to the agreement entered into on September 25,
2017; and
ORDERED that the following persons shall attend the mandatory
settlement status conference in person: Special Master Reisman, Special Master
of Discovery in Tweet and Poletti, Ret. Judge Daniel Stack, Settlement Counsel
for Syngenta, all members of the Plaintiffs’ Settlement Negotiation Committee
(Christopher A. Seeger, of Seeger Weiss LLP; Mikal Watts, of Watts Guerra LLP;
Clayton A. Clark, of Clark, Love & Hutson, GP; and Daniel E. Gustafson, of
Gustafson Gluek PLLC), and Patrick J. Stueve, of Stueve Siegel Hanson, LLP
representing the Multidistrict Litigation Class Co-Lead Counsel.
IT IS SO ORDERED.

Judge Herndon
2018.01.04
15:37:23 -06'00'
United States District Judge

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