Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01494/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01494-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Darlene C. Island
Plaintiff
McKesson Corporation
Defendant
Merck & Company, Inc.
Defendant

Document Text:

REED SMITH LLP 

A limited liability partnership formed in the State of Delaware 

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER STAYING PROCEEDINGS 

Michael K. Brown (SBN 104252) 

Thomas J. Yoo (SBN 174118) 

REED SMITH LLP 

355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 2900 

Los Angeles, CA 90071 

Telephone: 213.457.8000 

Facsimile: 213.457.8080 

Email: mkbrown@reedsmith.com 

tyoo@reedsmith.com 

Steven J. Boranian (SBN 174183) 

Alison B. Riddell (SBN 246120)

REED SMITH LLP 

Two Embarcadero Center, Suite 2000 

San Francisco, CA 94111-3922 

Telephone: 415.543.8700 

Facsimile: 415.391.8269 

Email: sboranian@reedsmith.com 

ariddell@reedsmith.com 

Attorneys for Defendant

Merck & Co., Inc. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

DARLENE C. ISLAND, an individual 

 Plaintiff, 

vs.

MERCK & COMPANY, INC., a Corporation; 

MCKESSON CORPORATION, a Corporation; 

and DOES 1 through 50, inclusive. 

 Defendants. 

Case No. C 07-1494 MMC 

STIPULATION AND ORDER STAYING 

PROCEEDINGS PENDING TRANSFER 

TO IN RE VIOXX PRODUCTS LIABILITY 

LITIGATION, MDL NO. 1657 

Case 3:07-cv-01494-MMC Document 12 Filed 04/05/07 Page 1 of 4
REED SMITH LLP 

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER STAYING PROCEEDINGS 

 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, and provided notice to the MDL Panel of the pendency of this “tagalong” action in a letter dated March 16, 2007. 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”). 

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

pending its transfer to MDL No. 1657. 

Case 3:07-cv-01494-MMC Document 12 Filed 04/05/07 Page 2 of 4
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER STAYING PROCEEDINGS 

DATED: April 4, 2007. 

REED SMITH LLP 

By /s/ 

Alison B. Riddell 

Attorney for Defendant 

Merck & Co., Inc. 

DATED: April 3, 2007 

EDGAR LAW FIRM 

By /s/ 

Donald S. Edgar 

Attorney for Plaintiff 

Darlene Island 

DATED: April 4, 2007. 

MORRIS POLICH & PURDY 

By /s/ 

Megan Wynne, Esq. 

Attorney for Defendant 

McKesson Corp. 

Case 3:07-cv-01494-MMC Document 12 Filed 04/05/07 Page 3 of 4
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER STAYING PROCEEDINGS 

ORDER

Having considered the foregoing stipulation and good cause appearing therefore, the Court 

hereby STAYS the above-titled action. 

If, by June 29, 2007, the action has not been transferred to the Eastern District of Louisiana, 

the parties shall, on that date, file a joint status statement to apprise the Court of the status of the 

case.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: April 5, 2007 

________________________________

United States District Judge 

Case 3:07-cv-01494-MMC Document 12 Filed 04/05/07 Page 4 of 4