Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ared-4_01-cv-00704/USCOURTS-ared-4_01-cv-00704-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.-Employee Benefits

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

WESTERN DIVISION

BILLY HARDEN PLAINTIFF

v. NO. 4:01CV704 GTE

 4:06CV00236 GH

AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL

CORPORATION d/b/a AMERICAN

EXPRESS FINANCIAL ADVISORS,

AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL

CORPORATION (AEFA) LONG TERM

DISABILITY PLAN; METROPOLITAN

LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY DEFENDANTS

ORDER

Presently before the Court is the Plaintiff’s Motion to Consolidate, seeking to consolidate

this case with a related case filed by Plaintiff Billy Harden, 4:06CV00236-GH. The action

presently before this Court, 4:01CV00704 GTE involves an ERISA action that was

administratively terminated upon remand back to the claims administrator for administrative

review. The recently filed case, 4:06CV00236 GH, is in fact a continuation or refiling of the

above-captioned case. Under the circumstances the Court will treat the Plaintiff’s Motion to

Consolidate as a Notice of Related Case. After consideration, the Court concludes that

4:06CV00236 should be assigned directly to the undersigned judge, which handled the prior

case, as a related case.

Pursuant to General Order No. 39(b)(5), this Court concludes that the assignment of the

above-styled case 4:06CV00236 GH directly to the undersigned judge will result in a significant

savings of judicial resources. However, the Court does not believe that it is necessary to reopen

Case 4:01-cv-00704-GTE Document 73 Filed 08/23/06 Page 1 of 2
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4:01CV00704 GTE and consolidate the two cases. Accordingly, the Court hereby directs that

Case No. 4:06CV00236 GH be reassigned to the undersigned judge forthwith by chip exchange.

IT IS SO ORDERED this 23rd day of August, 2006.

_/s/ Garnett Thomas Eisele______

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 4:01-cv-00704-GTE Document 73 Filed 08/23/06 Page 2 of 2