Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-02330/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-02330-0/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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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Rose Soto and Charles Soto,

Plaintiffs,

v.

Merck & Company, Inc.,

Defendant. 

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No. CV-06-2330-PHX-SMM

ORDER

Pending before the Court is the Unopposed Motion of Defendant Merck & Company,

Inc. to Stay All Proceedings in this action Pending a Decision on Transfer by the Judicial

Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. (Dkt. 7.) 

The decision whether to grant a stay is within the inherent power of the Court and is

discretionary. See Landis v. North Am. Co., 299 U.S. 248, 254-55 (1936). At least one case

from this District has already been transferred to MDL-1657, and there are hundreds of

others that have been transferred or are awaiting transfer in other districts. See Dkt. 7, Exs.

A, B at Schedule A. The Court finds that granting a stay of the instant proceeding will

promote judicial economy and conserve judicial resources. In addition, any prejudice to the

Plaintiffs resulting from a stay would be minimal. In the absence of a stay, however, the risk

of prejudice to Merck is significant.

Accordingly,

Case 2:06-cv-02330-SMM Document 8 Filed 11/13/06 Page 1 of 2
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IT IS HEREBY ORDERED GRANTING Merck & Company, Inc.’s Unopposed

Motion to Stay All Proceedings in this action Pending a Decision on Transfer by the Judicial

Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. (Dkt. 7.)

DATED this 9th day of November, 2006.

Case 2:06-cv-02330-SMM Document 8 Filed 11/13/06 Page 2 of 2