Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-md-02159/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-md-02159-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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UNITED STATES JUDICIAL PANEL 

on 

MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION

IN RE: AUTOZONE, INC., WAGE AND HOUR 

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LITIGATION MDL No. 2159

TRANSFER ORDER

Before the entire Panel: Defendant AutoZone, Inc. (AutoZone) has moved, pursuant to 28

U.S.C. § 1407, for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings of this litigation in the Northern

District of California. No other party has responded to the motion. This litigation currently consists

of four actions listed on Schedule A and pending in two districts, two actions each in the Central

District of California and the Northern District of California.

These actions share factual questions arising out of allegations that AutoZone consistently

violates wage and hour laws by failing to (1) provide meal and rest breaks, (2) compensate

employees for all hours worked, (3) provide full and timely payment of wages upon termination of

employment, (4) provide complete and accurate wage statements, and/or (5) reimburse employees

for the purchase of uniform clothing. Centralization will eliminate duplicative discovery; prevent

inconsistent pretrial rulings, including with respect to class certification; and conserve the resources

of the parties, their counsel, and the judiciary. These wage and hour cases often present us with a

close question of whether the judicial and attorney efficiencies created are sufficient to justify

centralization. Here, on the basis of the papers filed and hearing session held, we find that

centralization under Section 1407 in the Northern District of California will serve the convenience

of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of this litigation.

We are persuaded that the Northern District of California is an appropriate transferee forum

for this litigation. The first-filed action began there in December of 2006, and centralization in that

district could facilitate the sharing of relevant discovery that was produced in an earlier-filed action

that is not a part of this motion.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, the actions listed on

Schedule A and pending outside the Northern District of California are transferred to the Northern

District of California and, with the consent of that court, assigned to the Honorable Charles R.

Breyer for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings with the actions pending there and listed

on Schedule A. 

Case 3:10-md-02159-CRB Document 1 Filed 06/15/10 Page 1 of 3
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PANEL ON MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION

_________________________________________

 John G. Heyburn II 

 Chairman

Robert L. Miller, Jr. Kathryn H. Vratil

David R. Hansen W. Royal Furgeson, Jr.

Frank C. Damrell, Jr. Barbara S. Jones 

Case 3:10-md-02159-CRB Document 1 Filed 06/15/10 Page 2 of 3
IN RE: AUTOZONE, INC., WAGE AND HOUR 

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LITIGATION MDL No. 2159 

SCHEDULE A

Central District of California

Bruce Paul Maynard v. AutoZone, Inc., C.A. No. 2:09-7209 

William Doland v. AutoZone, Inc., C.A. No. 8:09-1138 

Northern District of California

Jimmy Ellison v. AutoZone, Inc., C.A. No. 3:06-7522 

Silvia Escobar v. AutoZone, Inc., C.A. No. 3:09-5415 

Case 3:10-md-02159-CRB Document 1 Filed 06/15/10 Page 3 of 3