Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00566/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-00566-1/pdf.json

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

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ETHEL R. HARKINS,

Plaintiffs,

 v.

ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS,

L.P., et al.,

Defendants /

No. C-06-0566 MMC

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND

DENYING IN PART PLAINTIFF’S

MOTION FOR ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF

Before the Court is plaintiff’s motion for administrative relief, filed July 12, 2006, by

which plaintiff requests the Court dismiss without prejudice her claims against defendants

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, L.P., and AstraZeneca, L.P. (collectively, “AstraZeneca”). 

Additionally, and although filed in the instant action only, plaintiff, on behalf of plaintiffs in

other actions, requests the Court (1) dismiss without prejudice claims brought against

AstraZeneca in five other actions, specifically, Kasperson v. AstraZeneca, C 06-611,

Houston v. AstraZeneca, C 06-1228, Johnson v. AstraZeneca, C 06-1319, Gotschall v.

AstraZeneca, C 06-1321, and Mitchell v. AstraZeneca, C 06-1528; and (2) dismiss without

prejudice ten actions in their entirety, specifically, Belputiti v. AstraZeneca, C 06-550,

Glover v. AstraZeneca, C 06-564, Hawkins v. AstraZeneca, C 06-569, Gringel v.

AstraZeneca, C 06-578, Mack v. AstraZeneca, 06-627, Hopkins-Hyche v. AstraZeneca, C

06-645, Ali v. AstraZeneca, C 06-658, Jones v. AstraZeneca, C 06-1288, Warburton v.

Case 3:06-cv-00566-MMC Document 25 Filed 07/20/06 Page 1 of 3
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Plaintiff in the instant action, and plaintiffs in each of the above-referenced actions

are represented by the same attorneys.

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AstraZeneca, C 06-1848, and Walker v. AstraZeneca, C 06-2040.1 AstraZeneca has filed

opposition, to which plaintiff herein has replied on behalf of herself and each of the abovereferenced plaintiffs.

On July 6, 2006, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (“MDL Panel”) advised

the Court and the parties that the MDL Panel had issued an order transferring nine of the

above-referenced actions to the Middle District of Florida. The MDL Panel’s order of

transfer became effective July 10, 2006, (see Notice of Filing of Order Transferring Cases,

filed July 19, 2006, Ex. A), the date such order was filed in the Middle District of Florida. 

See 28 U.S.C. § 1407 (providing order of transfer issued by MDL Panel is effective when

filed in transferee district). Because those nine actions are no longer pending in this

District, this Court lacks jurisdiction to rule on the request of each such plaintiff for dismissal

without prejudice.

Accordingly, to the extent the motion seeks relief as to those nine actions,

specifically the Belpuliti, Glover, Harkins (the instant action), Hawkins, Gringel, Kasperson,

Mack, Hopkins-Hyche, and Ali actions, the motion is hereby DENIED.

With respect to the remaining actions, each plaintiff therein is entitled to a dismissal

without prejudice unless AstraZeneca demonstrates it will “suffer some plain legal prejudice

as a result of the dismissal.” See Hamilton v. Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., 679 F. 2d 143,

145 (9th Cir. 1982). Plaintiffs’ counsel, apparently anticipating the transfer of the remaining

claims against AstraZeneca to the Middle District of Florida, states plaintiffs do not wish to

proceed with their claims therein, preferring instead to refile in state courts, in the event

plaintiffs decide to refile at all. Although AstraZeneca argues such refilings would defeat

the purposes of the MDL Panel’s order creating multidistrict litigation, AstraZeneca cites no

authority holding such result constitutes cognizable prejudice for purposes of defeating the

instant motion. Further, plaintiffs’ claims arise under state law, and “[t]he possibility that

plaintiffs may gain a tactical advantage by refiling in state court is insufficient to deny a

Case 3:06-cv-00566-MMC Document 25 Filed 07/20/06 Page 2 of 3
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voluntary motion to dismiss without prejudice, especially when state law is involved.” See

American Nat’l Bank and Trust Co. v. BIC Corp., 931 F. 2d 1411, 1412 (10th Cir. 1991);

see also Wetlands Water Dist. v. United States, 100 F. 3d 94, 97 (9th Cir. 1996) (citing

favorably to American Nat’l Bank). Consequently, the Court finds AstraZeneca has not

established plain legal prejudice would occur in the event the remaining actions are

dismissed without prejudice.

AstraZeneca alternatively argues that the Court should condition any dismissal

without prejudice on each plaintiff’s refiling his or her complaint in a federal district court

with proper venue, not adding any defendant that would destroy diversity, and not objecting

to transfer to the MDL proceeding in the Central District of Florida. In short, the conditions

would require any refiled action to be litigated in the Central District of Florida. 

AstraZeneca cites no authority in support of such conditions and, under the circumstances

pertaining herein, the Court finds such conditions are not warranted

Accordingly, to the extent the motion seeks relief as to the actions still pending

before the Court, specifically, the Houston, Jones, Johnson, Gotschall, Mitchell, Warburton,

and Walker actions, the motion is hereby GRANTED, provided the plaintiff in each such

case electronically files, in such case and no later than July 28, 2006, a proposed order of

dismissal, which proposed order shall reference this Order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 20, 2006 

MAXINE M. CHESNEY

United States District Judge

Case 3:06-cv-00566-MMC Document 25 Filed 07/20/06 Page 3 of 3