Title: International Union of Operating Engineers Local No. 68 Welfare Fund v. Merck &Co., Inc.

State: new-jersey

Issuer: New Jersey Supreme Court

Document:

SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY A- 22 September Term 2006 INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL NO. 68 WELFARE FUND, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. MERCK & CO., INC., Defendant-Appellant. Argued March 19, 2007 Decided September 6, 2007 On appeal from the Superior Court, Appellate Division, whose opinion is reported at 384 N.J. Super. 275 (2006). John H. Beisner, a member of the District of Columbia bar, argued the cause for appellant (Dechert, attorneys; Mr. Beisner, Diane P. Sullivan and Richard Jasaitis, III, on the briefs). Christopher A. Seeger argued the cause for respondent (Seeger Weiss and Lynch Keefe Bartels, attorneys; Mr. Seeger, John E. Keefe, Jr., David R. Buchanan, Frederick S. Longer and Donald E. Haviland, Jr., on the briefs). Michael Dore argued the cause for amicus curiae Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (Lowenstein Sandler, attorneys; Mr. Dore and Rosemary E. Ramsay, of counsel and on the brief). Theodore M. Lieverman argued the cause for amici curiae AARP; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; Center for Medical Consumers; Central New York Citizens in Action; Citizen Action of New York; Commonwealth Care Alliance, Inc.; Florida Chain; Gray Panthers of Sacramento; Health Care for All; Lynn Health Task Force; Medicare Rights Center; New Jersey Citizen Action; New Jersey PIRG Law & Policy Center; Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund; Prescription Access Litigation Project; United Senior Action of Indiana; Elaine Kleinman and Ronald Martin (Spector Roseman & Kodroff, attorneys; Mr. Lieverman and David J. Cohen, on the brief). Anita R. Hotchkiss submitted a brief on behalf of amicus curiae Product Liability Advisory Council, Inc. (Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, attorneys; Ms. Hotchkiss and Michael E. Rowan, on the brief). John F. Brenner submitted a joint brief on behalf of amici curiae The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey; The Somerset County Business Partnership and The Chemistry Council of New Jersey (McCarter & English, attorneys for The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey; Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, attorneys for The Somerset County Business Partnership and Reed Smith, attorneys for The Chemistry Council of New Jersey; Mr. Brenner, Steven A. Karg and Steven J. Picco, of counsel). Edward J. Fanning, Jr. and David R. Kott submitted a brief on behalf of amicus curiae Healthcare Institute of New Jersey (McCarter & English, attorneys; Mr. Fanning, Mr. Kott and Marielena Piriz, on the brief). PER CURIAM In July 2005, a Law Division judge granted the motion of plaintiff International Union of Operating Engineers Local #68 Welfare Fund to certify a nationwide class of third-party[,] non-government payors who . . . paid any person or entity for the purchase of a prescription anti-inflammatory arthritis and acute pain medication marketed by defendant Merck & Company, Inc. . . . under the brand name Vioxx. The Appellate Division affirmed that decision and defendant moved for leave to appeal to this Court. We granted that motion for leave to appeal, agreeing to consider the propriety of the order certifying a nationwide class. Because we conclude that the court erred in finding that common questions of fact or law predominate and that a class action would be superior to other mechanisms for adjudicating the claims, we reverse. SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY NO. A-22 SEPTEMBER TERM 2006 ON APPEAL FROM Appellate Division, Superior Court INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL NO. 68 WELFARE FUND, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff-Respondent, v. MERCK & CO., INC., Defendant-Appellant. DECIDED September 6, 2007 Justice Long PRESIDING OPINION BY Per Curiam CONCURRING OPINION BY DISSENTING OPINION BY