Schroeder et al v. Ethicon, Inc. et al

Filing 56

ORDER granting the Motion by Certain Plaintiffs in Wave 2 Cases to Strike Dr. Shelby F. Thames' Supplemental Reports or, in the Alternative, for Leave to File a Daubert Motion Based on the Flawed Methodology Employed Therein filed in MDL 2327 at ECF No. 2882, as more fully set forth herein. Signed by Judge Joseph R. Goodwin on 3/28/2017. (cc: counsel of record; any unrepresented party) (REF: MDL 2327; Cases Listed on Exhibit A) (ts)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON DIVISION
IN RE:

ETHICON, INC.,
PELVIC REPAIR SYSTEM
PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION

MDL No. 2327
______

THIS DOCUMENT RELATES TO:
Cases identified in Exhibit A attached hereto
ORDER
Pending before the court is the plaintiffs’ Motion to Strike the Dr. Shelby F.
Thames’s Supplemental Reports or, in the Alternative, for Leave to File a Daubert
Motion [ECF No. 2882]. Ethicon filed its Response [ECF No. 3020]. The plaintiffs’
Motion requests exclusion of Dr. Thames’s two supplemental reports but also
requests that the court, in the alternative, allow them additional time to depose Dr.
Thames. For the reasons detailed below, the plaintiffs’ Motion is GRANTED as to the
cases in Exhibit A. 1
I.

Background
Pursuant to the Fourth Amended Wave 2 Docket Control Order [ECF No. 1790]

(“Docket Control Order”), Ethicon was required to disclose its experts (and their
opinions) on or before June 3, 2016. Docket Control Order 1. Discovery closed on July

On Exhibit A, I have marked through cases that are closed, on the inactive docket, not in Wave 1,
could not be identified because of an error in the style or case number, or assigned to another District
Judge.

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1, 2016. Id. Further, all Daubert briefing was to be completed by August 18, 2016,
with Daubert motions due July 21, 2017. Id. Ethicon timely disclosed Dr. Thames as
an expert, along with his initial expert report. In the plaintiffs’ Wave 1 Daubert
motion on Dr. Thames, they questioned the reliability of Dr. Thames’s explant
cleaning protocol. Mem. Supp. Mot. Exclude Ops. Dr. Thames 8–10 [ECF No. 2042].
It was this argument that prompted the design and execution of a new experiment to
test the reliability of his cleaning protocol, to buttress the strength and reliability of
his prior opinion. Mot. Strike Ex. B, at 1 [ECF No. 2882-2] (“First Supplemental
Report”). Ethicon then served the First Supplemental Report with the preliminary
conclusions of this experiment on August 8, 2016, and the Second Supplemental
Report with the formal conclusions on September 28, 2016. See id. at 1; Mot. Strike
Ex. C, at 1 [ECF No. 2882-3] (“Second Supplemental Report”). Both reports were
served after the disclosure deadline, motion deadline, and close of discovery.
The plaintiffs argue for exclusion under Rule 37(c) on the grounds that the
supplemental reports were untimely served. Mot. Strike 2–3. Ethicon does not
dispute that the reports were untimely served and responds that its delayed
disclosures were justified and harmless. Ethicon focuses its attention on the fivefactor test from Hoyle v. Freightliner, LLC, 650 F.3d 321, 329 (4th Cir. 2011). See

generally Resp.
II.

Analysis
Pursuant to Rule 37(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,
If a party fails to provide information or identify a witness as required
by Rule 26(a) or (e), the party is not allowed to use that information or
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witness to supply evidence on a motion, at a hearing, or at a trial, unless
the failure was substantially justified or is harmless.
According to the Fourth Circuit, the appropriate factors to consider in determining
whether to sanction a party under Rule 37(c) are the following:
(1) the surprise to the party against whom the witness was to have testified; (2)
the ability of the party to cure that surprise; (3) the extent to which allowing the
testimony would disrupt the trial; (4) the explanation for the party's failure to
name the witness before trial; and (5) the importance of the testimony.

Hoyle, 650 F.3d at 329.
I am simply unable to find that Ethicon’s late disclosures of Dr. Thames’s
supplemental expert reports were substantially justified. Dr. Thames has a
longstanding relationship with Ethicon, and Ethicon has provided no reason why this
testing could not have been done prior to the disclosure of the initial expert report.
Essentially, because the plaintiffs questioned the reliability of Dr. Thames’s protocol,
Ethicon decided to bolster its case by having Dr. Thames perform more testing of the
testing. In essence, the supplemental expert reports are atonement for initial
inadequacies or incomplete preparation. However, I must also evaluate whether the
late disclosures were nevertheless harmless before I can determine whether sanctions
are appropriate.
The plaintiffs’ arguments support a finding of surprise. Although the plaintiff
attacked the adequacy of Dr. Thames’s cleaning protocol in their Daubert motion,
they had no reason to suspect that an entirely new test would be performed to rebut
their argument of reliability and then disclosed after the discovery deadline had
closed. However, both parties have agreed to allow additional time for Daubert

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briefing should the reports not be excluded. Thus, the ability to cure the surprise
weighs in favor of permitting the reports.
I recognize that a trial date has not been set in this case, and I also recognize
that any harm to the plaintiffs regarding this matter may be easily remedied by
allowing them to have additional time to depose Dr. Thames. However, I must be
particularly cognizant of the realities of multidistrict litigation and the unique
problems an MDL judge faces. Specifically, when handling seven MDLs, each
containing thousands of individual cases, case management becomes of utmost
importance. See In re Phenylpropanolamine Prods. Liab. Litig., 460 F.3d 1217, 1231
(9th Cir. 2006) (emphasizing the “enormous” task of an MDL court in “figur[ing] out
a way to move thousands of cases toward resolution on the merits while at the same
time respecting their individuality”). I must define rules for discovery and then
strictly adhere to those rules, with the purpose of ensuring that pretrial litigation
flows as smoothly and efficiently as possible. See id. at 1232 (“[T]he district judge
must establish schedules with firm cutoff dates if the coordinated cases are to move
in a diligent fashion toward resolution by motion, settlement, or trial.”); see also Fed.
R. Civ. P. 1 (stating that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure “should be construed
and administered to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every
action and proceeding”). In turn, counsel must collaborate with the court “in
fashioning workable programmatic procedures” and cooperate with these procedures
thereafter. In re Phenylpropanolamine, 460 F.3d at 1231–32. Pretrial orders—and
the parties’ compliance with those orders and the deadlines set forth therein—“are

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the engine that drives disposition on the merits.” Id. at 1232. A “willingness to resort
to sanctions” in the event of noncompliance can ensure that the engine remains in
tune, resulting in better administration of the vehicle of multidistrict litigation. Id.;

see also Freeman v. Wyeth, 764 F.3d 806, 810 (8th Cir. 2014) (“The MDL judge must
be given ‘greater discretion’ to create and enforce deadlines in order to administrate
the litigation effectively. This necessarily includes the power to dismiss cases where
litigants do not follow the court’s orders.”).
The fourth factor, importance of the testimony, also weighs in favor of striking
the reports. Both supplemental reports are twelve pages long, whereas the original
report is 132 pages long. The testimony contained in the reports does not go to the
heart of the case, but instead serves only to enforce the reliability of Dr. Thames’s
cleaning protocol. I cannot find that the supplemental reports are crucial to either
side’s case.
III.

Conclusion
Accordingly, the plaintiffs’ Motion to Strike the Dr. Shelby F. Thames’s

Supplemental Reports or, in the Alternative, for Leave to File a Daubert Motion [ECF
No. 2882] is GRANTED.
The court DIRECTS the Clerk to send a copy of this Order to counsel of record
and any unrepresented party.
ENTER: March 28, 2017

5

EXHIBIT A
Case 

Civil Action Number 

Ankenman, Cathleen & John J. 
Kowalski, Judith Mary 
Hart, Mary Ann & William J. 
Schroeder, Carreen & Matthew 
Almendarez, Angela M. 
Hines, Lynn & Gregory 
Rose, Lola 
Vandergriff, Debbie & Carl 
Eaton, Cynthia & Frank 
Aldrich, Jacqueline Marie & Darryl 
Higgins, Susan & Bob 
McDonald, Maria & Thomas 
Glasgow, Carol 
Valle, Maritza 
Thomas, Mary 
Fitzgerald, Alina & Christopher 
Boudreau, Linda L. & Charles J. 
Simpson, Sherry Gill & Ricky 
Watson, Sandra Rosalie & Earl L. 
Brady, Victoria Lee & Maurice Joseph 
Mickle, Karen 
Grayson, Pamela Sue 
Pocztowski, Debra 
Perry, Mary Lou 
Ford, Deborah K. & Donald K. Blowers, Jr. 
Brown, Valerie 
Blackston, Ossie & John 
Martin, Diann & Donald 
Schomer, Margaret A. 
Smith, Patricia G. & Mark 
Cruse, Peggy D. 
Raney, Barbara A. & Marcus 
Espinoza, Rhondi 
Majors, Jennifer A. & Jonathan S. 
Flanigan, Iris & Earl David 
Gologan, Didina & Alexandru 
Burton, Kimberly Lee & Christopher Carl 
1 

2:12cv00872 
2:12cv01323 
2:12cv01326 
2:12cv01327 
2:12cv01329 
2:12cv01331 
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2:12cv01342 
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2:12cv01364 
2:12cv01365 
2:12cv01366 
2:12cv01367 
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2:12cv01428 
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2:12cv01435 
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2:12cv01477 
2:12cv01486 
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2:12cv01501 
2:12cv01507 
2:12cv01517 
2:12cv01523 
2:12cv01524 
2:12cv01528 
2:12cv01529 

Chase, Alvette 
McGathey, Elizabeth M. 
Ferguson, Teresa 
Crews, Lillie Harriet & Wain E. 
Spitzner, Bobbie Dianne & James W. 
Sanders, Melissa & Charles, Jr. 
Amidei, Betty 
Childress, Sandra & Timothy 
Cottrell, Teresa & Joe Palazzolo 
Harper, Kathy 
Wilson, Marcia & Robert 
Rasos, Katherine 
Walkingstick, Margaret Christine 
Smythia, Rebecca 
Smith, Andora 
Lindberg, Patricia & Carl 
Perez, Leezel & Jeffrey 
Cole, Phyllis Smith & Willie Ray 
Guffey, Gail 
Hatfield, Nona & Billy Ray 
Moore, Phyllis 
Cooper, Jennifer & Dave 
Carter, Tamara & David 
Smallwood, Nancy & Leon, Sr. 
Glenn, Rhonda & Era Fox, III 
Allen, Diana & Timothy 
Fleck, Jean E. 
Lenz, Debera & Robert 
Mooney, Konnie L. & James 
Miller, Mona 
Bailey, Pamela & Houston 
Cedeno, Joyce 
Colbert, Rhonda & Joseph 
Hoch, Susan & Christopher 
Johnson, Cynthia & Robert 
Meyer, Linda & Steve 
Muir, Marilyn & Scott 
Shelton, Mary & Frank 
Shennum, Janice 
Swanson, Karen & Thomas 
Parker, Belinda 

2:12cv01533 
2:12cv01538 
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2 

Hutchison, Deanna Gail 
Suter, Carol Ann & Troy W. 
Denton, Shirley & Marvin 
Frazier, Margaret & William Allen 
Raines, Myra & Kenneth 
Rhodes, Rebecca & Scott 
Sidwell, Loretta & Jimmy 
Williamson, Betty & Donald 
Gibson, Susan & Michael 
Savage, Stacey D. & Ebbie E. Ferrell 
Blevins, Vickie Lea & Robert Oliver 
Slade, Sebrina & Eric 
Paris, Christin & Michael 
Young, Tina L. & Jeffrey 
Patrick, Lottie M. & John D. 
Lane, Ann Jennette & Daniel Mark 
Cutter, Jenesta & Larry A. 
Burnett, Mary K. 
Heuer, Myra 
Hammett, Carolyn R. 
Brookman, Lesley Mitchell & Michael 
Merten, Janet & Gerard 
Zutovsky, Linda & Leonard 
Sierra, Ana & Luis 
Hemingway, Veda & Gary 
Strickland, Deborah J. & Matthew 
Guy, Sheryl C. 
Gray, Wanda 
Abell, Emily S. & Michael K. 
Bishop, Cheryl L. 
Symank, Bernie & Herman 
Franklin, Betty 
Gallehugh, Michelle & Ronnie 
Parton, Lori Anne Copeland, Executrix of 
the Estate of Sue Bilbrey Copeland, 
deceased 
Peterson, Winnie Elise 
Jernigan, Joan E. & Fred T. 
Luna, Tracy L. 
Hays, Brenda & Roger 
Sutton, Martha 
Hensley, Mary M. 
3 

2:12cv01711 
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2:12cv01848 
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2:12cv01855 
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2:12cv01858 

Bowles, Phyllis & Charles 
Rogers, Ruby G. & Dwayne L. 
Irwin, Priscilla A. & Daniel S. 
Dycus, Myrtle Frances 
Henry, Lana & Phillip Dean 
Garland, Marian 
Young‐Poole, Brenda 
Riggs, Donna & Gary 
Zapata, Sandra 
Slocumb, Kathryn 
Hughes, Brenda L. & Ronnie 
Poole, Cheryl & Kenneth 
Devoe, Debra & Randy 
Moon, Carolyn 
Covington‐Branker, Barbara M. & Brian B. 
Cope, Michele A. & Barry 
Deforrest, Patricia Ann & John H. 
Cambre, Terri L. 
Trimper, Carolyn S. 
West, Peggy Sue & Larry R. 
Phillips, Eleanor F. & John R. 
Higgins, Anna R. 
Brennon, Rebecca J. 
Carr, Gwendolyn N. & Rundell D. 
Bates, Diane 
Bowers, Betty Jean 
Beard, Gavie & Kenneth 
Carroll, Margaret 
Gullett, Brenda & Carl 
Maddox, Brenda 
Martin, Phyllis 
Peterson, Tracy & Kevin 
Reed, Deborah F. & Dale K. 
Chrysler, Marion 
Heddle, Bridget 
Pratt, Cathy 
Hernandez, Toni 
Dawson, Kristen 
Daugherty, Angela & Jimmy 
Marshall, Natalie C. & David R. 
Hand, Wanda M. & Charles W. 
4 

2:12cv01865 
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2:12cv01878 
2:12cv01879 
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2:12cv02077 
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Burns‐Martin, Dayna & Kevin 
Brady, Deborah D. 
Hicks, Shannon H. & James D. 
McClain, Barbara Sue 
Roberts, Brenda C. & Dwight 
Clay, Crystal Lynn 
Wilson, Tina 
Scott, Teresa 
Bishop, Jessie 
Whinery, Joyce 
Nelson, Kathryn M. 
Loomis, Barbara & Dighton 
Minogue, Bridgette 
Doucette, Karen L. 
Dunham, Lynne & David 
Ursini, Tara 
Anderson, Elaine 
Crabtree, Reba & Jack 
Lary, Sheryl & Kevin E. 
Manor, Kristy & John E., III 
Maxwell, Bonnie 
Lewis, Marlene 
Messina, Laritza & John 
Morrison, Laura 
Panske‐Phillips, Emma & Luther Y., Jr. 
Phillips, Ramona 
Pitts, Michelle 
Green, Janice 
Pippin, Laura & Donald 
Bihlmeyer, Donna & Joe 
Semere, Yvonne 
Hreiz, Amy Elizabeth & Adel Elias 
Villarreal, Katherine & Carlos 
Ogletree, Linda J. & John A. 
Partin, Patricia Graham 
Pageau, Tina Marie 
Lambert, Corrie Ann & Ronson 
Martin, Patricia J. & Dennis R., Sr. 
Miller, Rose M. 
Pieper, Laura & Mike 
Pridmore, Hope Elaine & James O. 

2:12cv02081 
2:12‐cv‐02086 
2:12cv02094 
2:12cv02095 
2:12cv02096 
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