Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00732/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00732-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition For Removal--Other Contract

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- 1 - 07cv0732

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ALEX NEVELSON, an individual,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 07cv0732-LAB (WMc)

ORDER SUA SPONTE STAYING

PROCEEDINGS PENDING MDL

TRANSFER DECISION AND

DENYING AS MOOT

DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO

STAY PROCEEDINGS AND EX

PARTE APPLICATION FOR

SHORTENED TIME

CONSIDERATION OF MOTION

TO STAY PROCEEDINGS

[Dkt No. 16, 19, 11]

vs.

VONAGE HOLDINGS CORP., a

Delaware Corporation; and DOES 1

through 10,

Defendants.

This action involves a dispute arising from Defendant Vonage Holdings Corp.'s

("Vonage") phone subscriber billing practices. Plaintiff Alex Nevelson ("Nevelson") filed this

putative class action in San Diego County Superior Court. On April 23, 2007, Vonage

removed the case to federal court under the federal Class Action Fairness Act of 2005

("CAFA"), 28 U.S.C. § 1332(d). On May 4, 2007, Nevelson moved to remand the action to

state court. Dkt No. 11. The hearing of the remand motion is calendared for June 18, 2007.

On May 14, 2007, a Motion For Transfer And Coordination Pursuant To 28 U.S.C. §

1407 was presented to the Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation ("Panel") seeking the

transfer of four actions filed in four different states, including this action, as "In Re: 'Vonage

Charges And Services Litigation.'" Dkt No. 14. On May 21, 2007, Vonage filed a Motion To

Stay Proceedings Pending Ruling On Transfer And Consolidation By The Judicial Panel On

Case 3:07-cv-00732-LAB-WMC Document 23 Filed 05/25/07 Page 1 of 2
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Multidistrict Litigation ("MDL"). Dkt No. 20. Vonage simultaneously applied ex parte for an

Order to shorten time on the hearing of the Motion To Stay (presently calendared to be

heard on June 18, 2007, the same date as the Motion To Remand) in order that a decision

be had on that issue before Vonage's June 4, 2007 opposition to Nevelson's Motion To

Remand is due. Dkt No. 16. Nevelson has filed Opposition to the Ex Parte Application. 

The court has considered the procedural posture of this case and the likelihood that

the other In re Vonage cases the Panel is considering for transfer raise questions similar to

those presented here, including but not limited to the question of remand. The court finds,

in the interest of uniformity, those questions would best be decided in the transferee court

if the Panel orders centralization. Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:

1. The court SUA SPONTE STAYS PROCEEDINGS in this case until the Panel

has made its decision regarding MDL consolidation, without addressing the arguments

presented by the parties.

2. Vonage's Motion To Stay and its Ex Parte Application for shortened time

hearing of its Motion To Stay are both DENIED AS MOOT.

3. The hearing of Nevelson's Motion To Remand is stayed pending transfer of this

case upon Order of the Panel, and the motion hearing date of June 18, 2007 is VACATED.

4. Nevelson shall promptly request from this court a new hearing date for his

Motion To Remand in the event the MDL Panel does not order this case transferred for

centralized adjudication, and the court will set a new motion briefing schedule at that time.

5. If the MDL Panel orders this case transferred, the Motion To Remand will be

decided in the transferee court, with all pending dates and proceedings in this action vacated

as moot.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: May 25, 2007

HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS

United States District Judge

Case 3:07-cv-00732-LAB-WMC Document 23 Filed 05/25/07 Page 2 of 2