Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01274/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01274-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 368
Nature of Suit: Asbestos Personal Injury - Prod.liab.
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Asbestos Litigation

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K:\Injured\103433\Fed\Stip stay or cont.wpd 1

JOINT MOTION AND STIPULATION TO STAY PROCEEDING OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, TO CONTINUE CASE MANAGEMENT

DEADLINES – C07-1274-SBA

BRAYTON

 ̃PURCELL LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

222 RUSH LANDING ROAD

P O BOX 6169

NOVATO, CALIFORNIA 94948-6169

(415) 898-1555

ALAN R. BRAYTON, ESQ., S.B. #73685

DAVID R. DONADIO, ESQ., S.B. #154436

BRAYTON ̃PURCELL LLP 

Attorneys at Law

222 Rush Landing Road

P.O. Box 6169

Novato, California 94948-6169

(415) 898-1555

(415) 898-1247 (Fax No.)

Attorneys for Plaintiff

THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

MAXINE FINKELSTEIN, Individually, as

Wrongful Death Heir, and as Successor-inInterest to MILTON FINKELSTEIN,

Deceased,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, 

and DOES 1-300,

Defendants.

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No. C07-1274-SBA

JOINT MOTION AND STIPULATION TO

STAY PROCEEDING OR, IN THE

ALTERNATIVE, TO CONTINUE CASE

MANAGEMENT DEADLINE AND

CONFERENCE, AND TO EXTEND TIME;

[PROPOSED] ORDER TO STAY;

[PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE] ORDER

TO CONTINUE

Pursuant to Civil L. R. 7-11 and 7-12, the following parties hereby stipulate to, and

respectfully move the Court for, an Order extending time as set forth in the Case Management

Scheduling Order filed March 5, 2007 (Document 2) and Clerk’s Notice (Document 3) filed

March 9, 2007, for the following good cause:

On May 1, 2007, Defendant GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, filed Document 9, a

Notice to Tag Along Action regarding the pending Multidistrict Litigation (“MDL”) in the

Eastern District of Pennsylvania, seeking among other things, to move Jurisdiction of this matter

to that District. Said Defendant subsequently mailed notice to the Judicial Panel on

Multidistrict Litigation (“JPML”) pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407. 

Case 4:07-cv-01274-SBA Document 10-1 Filed 05/01/2007 Page 1 of 4

XXXXXXXXX

Case 3:07-cv-01274-CRB Document 11 Filed 05/08/07 Page 1 of 4
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K:\Injured\103433\Fed\Stip stay or cont.wpd 2

JOINT MOTION AND STIPULATION TO STAY PROCEEDING OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, TO CONTINUE CASE MANAGEMENT

DEADLINES – C07-1274-SBA

On July 29, 1991, the JPML entered an order transferring all asbestos personal injury

cases pending in the federal courts to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of

Pennsylvania, for coordinated pretrial proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407. That order also

applies to “tag-along actions,” or actions involving common questions of fact filed after January

17, 1991. Such actions are to be transferred to the eastern District of Pennsylvania as part of

MDL 875, for coordinated pretrial proceedings. 

The JPML has held that a district court has the authority to stay pending a transfer order.

In re Asbestos Products Liability Litigation, 170 F. Supp. 2d 1348, 1349 n.1 (J.P.M.L. 2001)

(“[T]hose courts concluding that such issues should be addressed by the transferee judge need

not rule on them, and the process of 1407 transfer in MDL-875 can continue without any

unnecessary interruption or delay.”)

The parties agree that it is likely that the JPML will transfer this matter to the Eastern

District of Pennsylvania.

However, to date, the Clerk of the JPML has not entered a Conditional Transfer Order

pursuant to JPML Rule 12(a) or filed an order to show cause why the action should not be

transferred, pursuant to JPML Rule 13(b). 

It is likely the dates set forth in the Case Management Scheduling Order and the Clerk’s

Notice, including the deadlines imposed by Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 26, will come to

pass before the Clerk of the JPML acts. 

The parties make this Motion on the grounds that a stay of this action would (a) promote

judicial efficiency, (b) allow consistency in pretrial rulings, and (c) be most convenient to the

parties. 

Due to the pending action by the Clerk of the JPML, the parties hereby STIPULATE to

and respectfully request the Court VACATE its Case Management Scheduling Order, the

Clerk’s Notice and that the Court issue an Order STAYING this action pending the outcome of

the MDL Panel’s decision on the merits of the transfer. 

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Case 4:07-cv-01274-SBA Document 10-1 Filed 05/01/2007 Page 2 of 4
 Case 3:07-cv-01274-CRB Document 11 Filed 05/08/07 Page 2 of 4
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K:\Injured\103433\Fed\Stip stay or cont.wpd 3

JOINT MOTION AND STIPULATION TO STAY PROCEEDING OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, TO CONTINUE CASE MANAGEMENT

DEADLINES – C07-1274-SBA

In the alternative, the parties hereby STIPULATE to and respectfully request that the

dates set forth in the Case Management Scheduling Order (Document 2) and Clerk’s Notice

(Document 3) be vacated and continued pending the outcome of the JPML’s decision on the

merits of the transfer. Specifically, these deadlines in this matter include the May 23, 2007 Rule

26 deadline to meet and confer, and file Joint ADR Certification, the June 6, 2007 Deadline to

complete Initial Disclosures, the June 6, 2007 deadline to file the Joint Case Management

Statement and the Case Management Conference, currently set for June 13, 2007 at 2:30 pm by

telephonic conference. 

Dated: May 1, 2007 BRAYTON ̃PURCELL LLP 

/s/ David R. Donadio 

 

 By: __________________________ 

 David R. Donadio

 Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

Dated: May 1, 2007 SEDGWICK, DETERT, MORAN &

ARNOLD, LLP

 /s/ Derek Johnson 

 By: __________________________ 

Derek Johnson

Attorneys for Defendant 

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY 

 [PROPOSED] ORDER TO STAY

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the hearing date and deadlines specified in the Case

Management Scheduling Order filed March 5, 2007 (Document 2), and the Clerk’s Notice filed

March 9, 2007 are hereby VACATED and that this action is STAYED pending the outcome of

the JPML’s decision on the merits of the transfer. 

Dated: _____________________

_____________________________ . 

Saundra B. Armstrong

United States District Court Judge

Case 4:07-cv-01274-SBA Document 10-1 Filed 05/01/2007 Page 3 of 4

5/7/07

Case 3:07-cv-01274-CRB Document 11 Filed 05/08/07 Page 3 of 4
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JOINT MOTION AND STIPULATION TO STAY PROCEEDING OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, TO CONTINUE CASE MANAGEMENT

DEADLINES – C07-1274-SBA

[PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE] ORDER TO CONTINUE

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the hearing date and deadlines specified in the Case

Management Scheduling Order filed March 5, 2007 (Document 2), and the Clerk’s Notice filed

March 9, 2007 are hereby VACATED. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the following case management deadlines are

continued as follows: 

1. Last day to meet and confer re initial disclosures, early settlement, ADR process

selection, and discovery plan is [set for a date on or after August 10, 2007 to wit:] 

________________, 2007;

2. Last day to file Joint ADR Certification with Stipulation to ADR process or

Notice of Need for ADR Phone Conference is [set for a date after August 10, 2007 to wit:] 

________________, 2007;

3. Last day to complete initial disclosures or state objection to Rule 26(f) Report,

file/serve Case Management Statement and file/serve Rule 26(f) Report is [set for a date after

August 10, 2007 to wit:] ________________, 2007; and,

4. The Case Management Conference is [set for a date after August 10, 2007 to wit:

] _________________, 2007 at _________ ___m. via telephone, with Plaintiff’s counsel to set

up the conference call with all the parties on the line and call chambers at (510) 637-3559.

Dated: _____________________

_____________________________ . 

Saundra B. Armstrong

United States District Court Judge

Case 4:07-cv-01274-SBA Document 10-1 Filed 05/01/2007 Page 4 of 4
 Case 3:07-cv-01274-CRB Document 11 Filed 05/08/07 Page 4 of 4