Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-01294/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-01294-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 365
Nature of Suit: Personal Injury - Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Personal Injury

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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) 

REED SMITH LLP 

Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 2000 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

Telephone: (415) 543.8700 

Facsimile: (415) 391.8269 

Dana A. Blanton (SBN 232373) 

REED SMITH LLP 

1999 Harrison St., Suite 2400 

Oakland, CA 94612 

Telephone: 510.763.2000 

Facsimile: 510.273.8832 

Email: dblanton@reedsmith.com

Attorneys for Defendant Merck & Co., Inc. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

MICHAEL NEADERHISER, 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

MERCK & CO., INC., et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:06-cv-1294-FCD-GGH 

STIPULATION AND ORDER STAYING 

PROCEEDINGS PENDING TRANSFER TO 

IN RE VIOXX PRODUCTS LIABILITY 

LITIGATION, MDL NO. 1657 

Case 2:06-cv-01294-FCD-GGH Document 17 Filed 06/26/06 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 

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 alleges personal injuries attributed 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. 

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. Accordingly, on June 16, 2006, Merck provided the JPML with notice of this 

action pursuant to the procedure for "tag along" actions set forth in the rules of the JPML. Merck 

expects the Panel to issue a Conditional Transfer Order that includes this case within the next few 

weeks. 

While the transfer order is pending, 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”). 

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Case 2:06-cv-01294-FCD-GGH Document 17 Filed 06/26/06 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 

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

pending its transfer to MDL No. 1657. 

DATED: June 23, 2006 

REED SMITH LLP 

By /s/ Dana A. Blanton 

Dana A. Blanton 

Attorneys for Defendant 

Merck & Co., Inc. 

DATED: June 23, 2006 

ALEXANDER, HAWES & AUDET, LLP 

By /s/ Joshua C. Ezrin 

Joshua C. Ezrin, Esq. 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

ORDER

Having considered the foregoing stipulation and good cause appearing therefore, this action 

is STAYED. In light of this stay the motion hearing set for August 4, 2006 is VACATED and the 

motion is MOOT. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: June 26, 2006 

/s/ Frank C. Damrell Jr. 

United States District Judge 

Case 2:06-cv-01294-FCD-GGH Document 17 Filed 06/26/06 Page 3 of 3