Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00914/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00914-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 365
Nature of Suit: Personal Injury - Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Petition for Removal

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REED

S

MIT

H LLP

A limited liability partnership formed in the State of Delaware

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER STAYING PROCEEDINGS PENDING TRANSFER TO IN RE 

VIOXX PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION, MDL NO. 1657 

Michael K. Brown (State Bar No. 104252) 

Thomas J. Yoo (State Bar No. 175118) 

REED SMITH LLP 

355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2900 

Los Angeles, CA 90071 

Telephone: (213) 457-8000 

Facsimile: (213) 457-8080 

Steven J. Boranian (State Bar No. 174183) 

Susan B. Altman (State Bar No. 230227) 

REED SMITH LLP 

Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 2000 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

Telephone: (415) 543.8700 

Facsimile: (415) 391.8269 

Attorneys for Defendant Merck & Co., Inc. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

CAROL AND EDWARD DAVIDSON 

 Plaintiffs, 

vs. 

MERCK & Co., INC AND DOES 1 

through 10 

 Defendants. 

Case No. 2:05-cv-00914-WBS-KJM 

STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER 

STAYING PROCEEDINGS PENDING 

TRANSFER TO IN RE VIOXX PRODUCTS 

LIABILITY LITIGATION, MDL NO. 1657 

The parties, by and through their counsel, stipulate to and respectfully request a stay of all 

proceedings in this action pending the transfer of this case to In re VIOXX Products Liability 

Litigation, MDL No. 1657. 

Plaintiff Carol Davidson alleges personal injuries that she attributes to the prescription 

drug VIOXX®. Defendant Merck & Co., Inc. (“Merck”) manufactured and distributed 

VIOXX®, but voluntarily withdrew VIOXX® from the market on September 30, 2004. Plaintiff 

Edward Davidson alleges loss of consortium. 

Case 2:05-cv-00914-WBS -KJM Document 8 Filed 06/07/05 Page 1 of 3
REED

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A limited liability partnership formed in the State of Delaware

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER STAYING PROCEEDINGS PENDING TRANSFER TO IN RE 

VIOXX PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION, MDL NO. 1657 

On February 16, 2005, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (“JPML”) issued an 

order transferring 148 VIOXX®-related cases to the United States District Court for the Eastern 

District of Louisiana for coordinated pretrial proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1407. Merck intends 

to seek the transfer of this action to that Multidistrict Litigation, In re VIOXX Products Liability 

Litigation, MDL No. 1657, and shortly will provide the JPML with notice of this action pursuant 

to the procedure for "tag along" actions set forth in the rules of the JPML. A stay will potentially 

conserve judicial resources and will not cause unfair prejudice to the parties. See Rivers v. Walt 

Disney Co., 980 F. Supp. 1358, 1360 (C.D. Cal. 1997) (stay pending MDL transfer decision 

action would further judicial economy because “any efforts on behalf of this Court concerning 

case management will most likely have to be replicated by the judge that is assigned to handle the 

consolidated litigation”). 

Based on the foregoing, the parties respectfully request that the Court stay this action 

pending its transfer to MDL No. 1657. 

DATED: May June 1 , 2005. 

REED SMITH LLP 

By /s/ Steven J. Boranian 

Steven J. Boranian 

Attorneys for Defendant 

Merck & Co., Inc. 

DATED: May 18, 2005. 

FURTADO JASPOVICE & SIMMONS 

By /s/ Richard J. Simmons 

Richard J. Simons 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

Carol and Edward Davidson 

Case 2:05-cv-00914-WBS -KJM Document 8 Filed 06/07/05 Page 2 of 3
REED

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MIT

H LLP

A limited liability partnership formed in the State of Delaware

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER STAYING PROCEEDINGS PENDING TRANSFER TO IN RE 

VIOXX PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION, MDL NO. 1657 

ORDER

Having considered the foregoing stipulation and good cause appearing therefore, IT IS SO 

ORDERED. 

DATED: June 6, 2005 

Case 2:05-cv-00914-WBS -KJM Document 8 Filed 06/07/05 Page 3 of 3