IN RE: PET FOOD PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION

Filing 68

MOTION to Stay re #67 Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other), Notice (Other) BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF JOINT MOTION FOR STAY OF MDL PROCEEDINGS TO ALLOW FOR MEDIATION by PAUL RICHARD, JENNIFER RICHARD, CHARLES KOHLER, BARBARA WIDEN, ALICIA KOHLER, LINDA TINKER, GAIL BRYAN, SUSAN HANCE-GOODMAN, MARY DICAPRIO, CRYSTAL WARD, DARLENE WARD, LERAE DINEEN, SANDRA SHINGLE, GARY THOMAS, DEBORAH A. MULLEN, HELEN PERCY, ALEXANDRA STARKEY, PAULA MONK, TONY BOYER, NORMAN BRENTON, LYNDA NAGEL, TERESA EILERS, WILLIAM MCMAHON, JEFF RUSIECKI, KAROLE VANDUSEN, DAWN HOWE, KELLY FINESTONE, MARJORIE READY, SHIRLEY SEXTON, CHEMNUTRA, INC., JANICE BONIER, PAUL RANDOLPH JOHNSON, TAMMY NAVARRETE, GUY BRITTON, TAMMY MATTHEWS, KIMBERLY BOWSER, JULIE HIDALGO, DINA KARGER, DENISE VOLLMER, DOLLY PRUE-CERDA, MYRNA LAW, ALEXANDER NUNEZ, MARK GOLDING, TROY GAGLIARDI, KAMI TURTURRO, PEGGY SCHNEIDER, LAURI A. OSBORNE, LESLIE BERNDL, JIM MOSES, TERRI MOSES, JAYME PITTSONBERGER, DAVID CARTER, JIM BULLOCK, CHRISTINA JOHNSON, JAMES CONNER, FRANCES NASH, MATT LONG, TODD SOKOLWSKI, CHANTELLE CONTI, CHERI CUTLER, STEVEN FREEMAN, KAREN PIRCHES, DINITRISE HICKS, DIANA DIEDRICH, MICHELE MCCULLOUGH, CHRISTINA TROIANO, STEVE COLQUITT, MARIANNA CUTTER, LUKE DEBARATHY, LOREN BYERS, KAY BYERS, CAMILLA BRANKOV, GLEN TUNNELL, LYNNE CARESTIO, OLIVIA GUERCIONI, JUDY MCGURIMAN, DAWN MAJERCZYK, JARED WORKMAN, DIXIE KELLER, CAROL BROWN, MARK COHEN, DEL MONTE FOODS, INC., RICHARD SCHWINGER, SARAH CAVIN, BARBARA LIGHT, PENNY J. ROBERTS, DONALD GILBERT IVERSON, CHEMNUTRA LLC, JACQUELINE JOHNSON, MONA COHEN, MARA BRAZILIAN, DIANE LOWERY, SHERRY INGLES, LIZAJEAN HOLT, STEPHEN DONNELLY, JENNIFER HIRNI, GREGORY BOEHM, ROBERT PAYNE, STEVE BARTILUCCI, PETCO ANIMAL SUPPLIES, INC., THE PROCTOR & GAMBLE COMPANY, DONNA LEFEBVRE, HAYLEY FORD, SHANNON J. KRAMER, DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY, NESTLE PURINA PETCARE COMPANY, NUTRO PRODUCTS, INC., PETCO SOUTHWEST, INC., PETCO ANIMAL SUPPLIES STORES, INC., PETSMART, JOHN COLLIARD, KIM LEONARD, EMILY TOMPKINS, HARMONY ADAMS, KIRA ANDRES, TAMARA ARENDT, EMORY ARIANO, CAROL BAKER, STEPHEN M. BARONE, DEBRA LEROY, MELISSA BECKO, KRISTEN BENECK, RAMONA BERRY, DAVID BONDARCHURCH, BRANDON C. BOURRET, DENISE BOURRET, LOU ANN CAMERON, TOM WHALEY, CINDY CAMP, MIKE CLARK, TRACY COLE, TODD COLE, SANDRA CRAFT, MIRANDA DANIELE, STACEY HELLER, DIANN DECKER, TONI DENHAM, CARLA DETWILER, CARL DICKSON, BETH DOMBROSKI, SARA DOSCH, KATERNINE FEIGHT, SUZANNE E. JOHNSON, RICHARD FEIGHT, SUSAN FORESMAN, DENISE FORSYTH, BRUCE FOSTER, MICHELLE GODE, RHONDA GOOD, JANET GOODWIN, CRAIG R. KLEMANN, KIM GORGENS, LINDA GORRELL, VICTORIA GOSTEVA, CAROL GRETZ, WILLIAM GRETZ, TODD HANSON, AUDREY KORNELIUS, RENE HANSON, CAROL HAUGH, MARK HEATON, KAMI HUFF, ALLISON JERNIGAN, LORRAINE JOHNSON, JASON KATZ, CECILY MITCHELL, JESSICA KATZ, RICHARD KAY, PATRICIA KAY, DONNA KEAN, CLARISSA KING, VIRGINIA KOSLOW, CANDACE LAROSE, TERRENCE MITCHELL, LEMECIA LANDRUM, JOHN LOGAN, THERESA LUNA, CHARLES RAY SIMS, DEBORAH MASSO, CONNIE MCKINNEY, DANNY MICKEY, DAVID RAPP, LOIS MITCHELL, ERYN MULLOY, STACY NEWMAN-ROOLF, LISA NICHOLS, JO ANN OAKLIEF, RICK OBERNOLTE, JEN OLBRICHT, TOINETTE ROBINSON, LORRIE PARADISO, GERALDINE PAULEY, CRYSTAL PICKETT, CYNTHIA POOLE, LYNN PUSILIO, ERICA RAMBUS, JUSTIN REVENE, BARBARA SMITH, BROOK REVSTOCK, TRACY RICHARDSON, JON ROBERTS, EVELYN SEEMAN, MICHAEL SENA, STEPHENIE SHEME, MICHELE SUGGETT, JUDY SHOPE, SANDRA SMITH, RANDY ST. ONGE, STEPHEN TERRELL, MARY JO THOMAS, MARY KAY URBAN, CLAIRE WALTER, DON JAMES, PRUDENCE WALTERS, JETHRO WAGNER, DON WARN, ROBERT WEISS, IAN WHITE, KURT WHITT, KENNETH WHITTEN, DIANE SWARBERG, LAURIE WOODMAN, TERESA ZANKIEWICZ, DEBBIE ZEIGLER, COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY, WALMART, INC., MENU FOODS, DEL MONTE CORPORATION, MARK CASHMAN, CIRO AIELLO, MENU FOODS GEN PAR LTD., CHERYL CARVER, MENU FOODS HOLDING, INC., MENU FOODS INCOME FUND, PAMELA SIMS, MENU FOODS LTD, MENU FOODS LTD PARTNERSHIP, HEATHER AMRO, RAYMOND DEMITH, KATHERINE DEMITH, MENU FOODS MIDWEST CORP., MENU FOODS OPERATING PARTNERSHIP, TARGET CORPORATION, MENU FOODS SOUTH DAKOTA, INC., MENU FOODS, INC., JAYNE ENGLANDER, MITCH ENGLANDER, MENU FOODS OPERATING TRUST, MENU FOODS ACQUISITION INC., JENNIFER HART, SHEILA R. WASHINGTON, MARIA MITCHELL, RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, NESTLE SA, NESTLE HOLDINGS INC., NESTLE USA INC., LAURA MIGLIORE, GAIL MORAN, SHERYL PUETT, DANIEL RAY REEVES, SHEREE A. ROBINSON, PHYLLIS A. ULLMAN, ELIZABETH PALMER, JASON LABBATE, MEGAN WHITT, LINDA WEITZ, MICHELLE ADAMS, WAL-MART STORES, INC., RICHARD SCOTT WIDEN, LOIS GRADY, KAYE STEINSAPIR, CRAIG ANDERSON, FRANK BODEMAN, IAMS CO., BARBARA GONZALES, SUZANNE THOMSON, ROBERT TRAUTMANN, LARRY WILSON. (GOODMAN, MARK)

IN RE: PET FOOD PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION

Doc. 68

Case 1:07-cv-02867-NLH-AMD

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Filed 09/21/2007

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY

Hon. Noel L. Hillman IN RE: PET FOOD PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION Civil No. 07-2867 (NLH/AMD) MDL Docket No. 1850 ALL CASES

BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF JOINT MOTION FOR STAY OF MDL PROCEEDINGS TO ALLOW FOR MEDIATION The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has already transferred to this Court over eighty purported class actions filed all over the United States, and several more cases have been designated as "tag along" cases by the MDL Panel and are on the way. Over sixty entities are named as defendants, including most of the major manufacturers and retailers of pet food sold in the United States. Litigating a case of this magnitude is likely to impose a very high burden on plaintiffs, defendants and this Court. In an attempt to avoid the expenditures of time and resources that will be required to litigate these cases, and the uncertainties of such litigation, the undersigned parties recently agreed, in good faith, to engage in non-binding mediation. The parties have already jointly agreed upon a mediator, and the mediation proceedings have been scheduled and are expected to conclude within the next ninety (90) days. This mediation presents an opportunity to attempt to reach a global resolution of this complex litigation. The parties further believe that the complexity and magnitude of the controversy mean that the mediation will have the best chance of succeeding if the parties are able to devote all their efforts and resources to the mediation process. Furthermore, responding to pleadings, engaging in discovery and preparing class certification briefing at this time will not only draw

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Case 1:07-cv-02867-NLH-AMD

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substantial resources away from the mediation proceedings but will prove to have been unnecessary should the mediation succeed. The parties thus respectfully and jointly request a stay of all proceedings in this action for 90 days, with the exception of the following: (1) defendants' application regarding preservation of samples of recalled product ; (2) appointment of lead and liaison counsel; and (3) plaintiffs' filing of a consolidated complaint. With the exception of these activities, the case will be stayed and the parties shall maintain whatever rights and arguments they had at the time the stay was entered. Specifically, the defendants shall not be required to file any responsive pleading to a consolidated complaint and do not waive any argument that they could make upon the filing of a consolidated complaint. The requested stay will serve the interests of judicial economy and the parties, while having little impact on scheduling in this matter. The initial pretrial conference is scheduled for September 26, 2007, and there are currently no other Court-ordered deadlines in the case. Since the Court has not yet set a schedule, a stay at this time will not disrupt discovery or other proposed deadlines. The parties will promptly advise the Court of the progress and results of the mediation. WHEREFORE, the parties respectfully request that the Court stay all proceedings in the MDL cases, subject to the above-mentioned exceptions, for 90 days to allow the parties a full opportunity to engage in mediation. By: /s authorized for ECF filing Lisa J. Rodriguez TRUJILLO RODRIGUEZ & RICHARDS LLC 8 Kings Highway West Palm Beach Haddonfield, NJ 08033 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail] Proposed Liaison for Plaintiffs By: /s authorized for ECF filing Warren W. Faulk, Esq. BROWN & CONNERY, LLP 360 Haddon Avenue P.O. Box 539 Estmont, NJ 08108 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail]

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By: /s authorized for ECF filing Mark C. Goodman, Esq. SQUIRE, SANDERS & DEMPSEY L.L.P. One Maritime Plaza, Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94111-3492 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail]

By: /s authorized for ECF filing Amy W. Schulman, Esq. Mary E. Gately, Esq. Matthew Lepore, Esq. DLA PIPER US LLP 1251 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10020 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail] By: /s authorized for ECF filing Craig A. Hoover, Esq. Robert C. Troyer, Esq. HOGAN & HARTSON LLP Columbia Square 555 Thirteenth Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20004-1109 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail] By: /s authorized for ECF filing Gary L. Justice, Esq. GIBSON, DUNN& CRUTCHER LLP 333 South Grand Avenue, 49th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail]

By: /s authorized for ECF filing D. Jeffrey Ireland, Esq. FARUKI, IRELAND & COX, P.L.L. 500 Courthouse Plaza, S.W. 10 North Ludlow Street Dayton, OH 45402 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail] By: /s authorized for ECF filing Richard Rama, Esq. COZEN O'CONNOR 45 Broadway, 16th Floor New York, NY 10006 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail] By: /s authorized for ECF filing Anthony G. Brazil, Esq. MORRIS POLICH & PURDY 1055 W. 7th Street Los Angeles, CA 90017 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone] [e-mail]

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on this 21st day of September 2007 a true and correct copy of the foregoing was served on all parties via the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT ELECTRONIC FILING SERVICE. /s/ Mark C. Goodman Mark C. Goodman SQUIRE, SANDERS & DEMPSEY L.L.P.