Case Name: In re GROSS COMMON CARRIER, INC., FREIGHT UNDERCHARGE CLAIMS LITIGATION
Court: United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1994-02-18
Citations: 843 F. Supp. 1506
Docket Number: No. 998
Parties: In re GROSS COMMON CARRIER, INC., FREIGHT UNDERCHARGE CLAIMS LITIGATION.
Judges: Before JOHN F. NANGLE, CHAIRMAN, MILTON POLLACK, ROBERT R. MERHIGE, Jr., WILLIAM B. ENRIGHT, CLARENCE A. BRIMMER, JOHN F. GRADY and BAREFOOT SANDERS, Judges of the Panel.
Reporter: Federal Supplement
Volume: 843
Pages: 1506–1511

Head Matter:
In re GROSS COMMON CARRIER, INC., FREIGHT UNDERCHARGE CLAIMS LITIGATION.
No. 998.
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.
Feb. 18, 1994.
Before JOHN F. NANGLE, CHAIRMAN, MILTON POLLACK, ROBERT R. MERHIGE, Jr., WILLIAM B. ENRIGHT, CLARENCE A. BRIMMER, JOHN F. GRADY and BAREFOOT SANDERS, Judges of the Panel.
Judges Pollack and Enright took no part in the decision of this matter.

Opinion:
TRANSFER ORDER
JOHN F. NANGLE, Chairman.
This litigation presently consists of 160 actions pending in five districts and listed on the attached Schedule A as follows:
129 actions Western District of Wisconsin
12 actions Eastern District of Wisconsin
7 actions Northern District of Illinois
8 actions Western District of Michigan
4 actions Eastern District of Michigan
Defendants in 111 of the 160 actions listed on Schedule A move the Panel, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, for centralization of all actions in the Western District of Wisconsin for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings before District Judge John C. Shabaz, who is presently assigned to one of the actions pending in that district. Defendants in seven other actions support the motion. The plaintiffs in this litigation, Gross Common Carrier, Inc. (Gross) and its Unsecured Creditors Committee, oppose transfer. If the Panel deems centralization appropriate, plaintiffs would favor centralization in the Western District of Wisconsin before Bankruptcy Judge Thomas S. Utschig, who is presently assigned to the other 128 actions pending in that district and included in the Section 1407 motion.
On the basis of the papers filed and the hearing held, the Panel finds that the actions in this litigation involve common questions of fact and that centralization under Section 1407 in the Western District of Wisconsin before Judge Shabaz will best serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of this litigation. The 32 district court actions presently pending in five federal districts and the 128 adversary proceedings presently pending before Bankruptcy Judge Utschig in the Western District of Wisconsin all relate to Gross's interstate trucking business and present common questions of fact relating to, inter alia, the applicability and reasonableness of Gross's claimed tariff rates. Centralization under Section 1407 is thus necessary in order to eliminate duplicative discovery, prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings, and conserve the resources of the parties, their counsel and the judiciary. Inasmuch as the Panel has determined to centralize this litigation in the district where the adversary proceedings are already pending, the Panel will leave to the discretion of the transferee court the determination of the extent of any coordination between the centralized district court actions and the adversary proceedings.
We are persuaded that the Western District of Wisconsin is the appropriate transferee forum for this docket. We note that i) related bankruptcy proceedings involving Gross are pending in that district, and ii) no party has suggested any other district as a potential transferee forum.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, the actions listed on the attached Schedule A and pending in districts other than the Western District of Wisconsin be, and the same hereby are, transferred to the Western District of Wisconsin and, with the consent of that court, assigned to the Honorable John C. Shabaz for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings with the action entitled Official Unsecured Creditors' Committee of Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Consolidated Papers, Inc., C.A. No. 3:93-541, listed on Schedule A and pending in that district before Judge Shabaz.
SCHEDULE A
MDL-998 — In re Gross Common Carrier, Inc. Freight Undercharge Claims Litigation
Northern District of Illinois
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Chase Products Co., C.A. No. 1:93-5008
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Starkey Chemical Process Co., C.A. No. 1:93-5016
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Kaskor Industries, Inc., C.A. No. 1:93-5022
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Keebler Co., C.A. No. 1:93-5024
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Signode Corp., C.A. No. 1:93-5029
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Cotter Ltd. Inc., C.A. No. 1:93-5035
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. General Motor Corp., C.A. No. 1:93-5052
Eastern District of Michigan
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Fruhauf Trucking, C.A. No. 2:93-73444
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. K-Mart Corp., C.A. No. 2:93-73445
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co., C.A. No. 2:93-73446
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. General Motors, C.A. No. 2:93-73447
Western District of Michigan
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Herman Miller, Inc., C.A. No. 1:93-669
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Kimberly Clark Corp., C.A. No. 1:93-670
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Khoury, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-171
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Lakeside Machine, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-172
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Magiglied, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-173
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Pardon, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-174
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Robinson Furniture Manufacturing, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-175
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. United Abrasive, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-176
Eastern District of Wisconsin
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Aleo Standard Corp., C.A. No. 2:93-868
Gross Common Carrier v. Grede Foundries, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-869
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Englewood Electric, Inc., C.A. No. 2:93-870
Gross Common Carrier v. Pullman Companies, C.A. No. 2:93-871
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Brunswick Corp., C.A. No. 2:93-872
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. K & L Service, Inc., C.A No. 2:93-873
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Speed Queen, C.A. No. 2:93-874
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Scott Paper Co., C.A. No. 2:93-875
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Appleton Papers, C.A. No. 2:93-876
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Riverside Paper, C.A. No. 2:93-877
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Ellinger Agatized Wood, C.A No. 2:93-878
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Randy Rudolph, C.A. No. 2:93-879
Western District of Wisconsin
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. American Packaging Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5137
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Arrow Cartage & Crating, A.P. No. A1:93-5139
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Beckley-Cardy, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5141
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Citifax, A.P. No. A1:93-5143
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. E. Gomell & Sons, A.P. No. A1:93-5149
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. FMC Corp., AP. No. A1:93-5150
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Fisher Printing, AP. No. A1:93-5152
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. General Tire, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5153
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. H.B. Fuller, A.P. No. A1:93-5154
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Hal Leonard Publishing, A.P. No. A1:93-5155
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. McGraw Edison Co., AP. No. A1:93-5159
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Prime Mover, A.P. No. A1:93-5162
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Rockford Products, A.P. No. A1:93-5163
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Schwarz Paper, A.P. No. A1:93-5168
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Seats, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5169
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Second City Systems, A.P. No. Al:93-5170
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. A Sturm & Sons, A.P. No. Al:93-5179
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Bowlby Candy, A.P. No. A1:93-5182
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Bro-Tex. Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5183
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Carter Hoffman, A.P. No. A1:93-5184
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Cleaning Systems, A.P. No. A1:93-5185
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Don Stevens, A.P. No. A1:93-5186
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Erikson Non Woven, AP. No. A1:93-5187
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Fitchburg Coated Products, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5189
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Foldcraft Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5190
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. General Power Equipment, A.P. No. A1:93-5192
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Golden Dipit, A.P. No. A1:93-5193
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Allied International, A.P. No. A1:93-5195
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Herbarium, A.P. No. A1:93-5197
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Hi Tech Film, A.P. No. A1:93-5198
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Holland Beauty, A.P. No. A1:93-5199
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Lakeside Plastics, A.P. No. A1:93-5201
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Ling Products, A.P. No. A1:93-5202
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. MoFoCo Enterprises, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5204
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. O.M. Scott & Sons, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5205
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Paeon Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5206
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. RTE Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5207
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Ruud Lighting, A.P. No. A1:93-5208
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. School Stationers Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5209
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. United Agri-Services, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5211
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Wysocki CTS Veneers, A.P. No. A1:93-5213
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Anchor Paper, A.P. No. A1:93-5214
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Aurora Paperboard, A.P. No. A1:93-5215
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Bagcraft, A.P. No. A1:93-5216
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Banner Packaging, A.P. No. A1:93-5217
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Battery Builders, A.P. No. A1:93-5218
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Builders Square, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5219
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Cooper Power Systems, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5221
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. General Fiberglas Supply, A.P. No. A1:93-5223
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Gillette, A.P. No. A1:93-5225
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Halliburton Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5226
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Heritage Hardwoods, A.P. No. A1:93-5227
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Laminations Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5230
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Lawn Boy, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5231
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. North American Spring & Stamping Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5232
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Office Electronics, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5233
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Tape, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5240
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Texas Instruments, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5241
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Waunakee Alloy Castings, A.P. No. A1:93-5243
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Wyeth Ayerst Laboratories, A.P. No. A1:93-5244
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Amstar Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5247
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. James River Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5249
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Nalco Chemical Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5251
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Reliable Packaging, A.P. No. A1:93-5253
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Rexnord Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5254
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Weyerhaeuser Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5255
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. EMCO Specialties, A.P. No. A1:93-5259
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Fey Publishing, A.P. No. A1:93-5260
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Pet, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5263
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Pioneer Industrial Manufacturing Co., Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5264
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Brown County Publishers, A.P. No. A1:93-5273
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Amerequip Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5274
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Bar Bel Fabricating, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5275
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Bridgewater Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5277
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Eye Communications Systems, A.P. No. A1:93-5280
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Glamos Wire Products, A.P. No. A1:93-5281
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. PACCAR Parts, A.P. No. A1:93-5284
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Pace Industries, A.P. No. A1:93-5285
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Poly Foam Packers, A.P. No. A1:93-5286
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Rhinelander Paper Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5288
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Toro Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5289
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Allen-Bradley Co., Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5294
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Chaney Instrument, A.P. No. A1:93-5295
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Cooper Industries, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5297
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Eneo Manufacturing, A.P. No. A1:93-5298
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Kenro, A.P. No. A1:93-5299
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Kraft General Foods, A.P. No. A1:93-5300
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Peterson Seed Co., Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5303
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Precision Pulley, A.P. No. A1:93-5304
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Superior Graphite, A.P. No. A1:93-5308
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. W.R. Grace & Co., A.P., No. A1:93-5310
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Baraga Products, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5323
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Georgia Pacific Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5324
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Green Bay Packaging Co., Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5325
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Kohler Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5326
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Manistique Papers, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5328
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Menasha Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5329
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Nelson Industries, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5330
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Luke Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5331
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Trane Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5332
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. 3M Co., A.P. No. A1:93-5333
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Apothecary Products, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5334
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Central Products Co., A.P. No. A1.-93-5335
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. ChemRep, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5336
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Fall River Foundation, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5339
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. ITT Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5342
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Lubrication Engineers, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5345
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Newco, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5346
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. P.M.S. Consolidated, A.P. No. A1:93-5349
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Riverwood International USA Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5350
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Shima American Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5351
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Trans International, Inc., et al, A.P. No. A1:93-5354
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Union Camp Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5355
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Westvaco Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5356
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Wisconsin Film & Bag, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5357
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Yamaha Motor Corp., AP. No. A1:93-5358
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Award Lighting, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5360
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. American Fiber Envelope, A.P. No. A1:93-5364
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. National Strarch & Chemical, A.P. No. A1:93-5365
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Prairie Packaging, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5367
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Snyder General Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5368
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. American Tara, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5369
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. C & S Manufacturing, A.P. No. A1:93-5370
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. American Paper Converters, Inc., A.P. No. A1:93-5371
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Superior Paper Products, Ltd., A.P. No. A1:93-5372
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Cross Point Paper Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5373
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Cenex-Land O'Lakes, A.P. No. A1:93-5383
Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Tyco/Grinnell Corp., A.P. No. A1:93-5386
Official Unsecured Creditors' Committee of Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Consolidated Papers, Inc., C.A. No. 3:93-541
. In addition to the 160 actions now before us, defendants' Section 1407 motion included 1) six actions — Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. World's Finest Chocolate, Inc., N.D.Illinois, C.A. No. 1:93-5017; Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Lawrence Foods, Inc., N.D.Illinois, C.A. No. 1:93-5026; Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc., N.D.Illinois, C.A. No. 1:93-5031; Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Dena Corp., N.D.Illinois, C.A. No. 1:93-5033; Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Gardiner Solder, N.D.Illinois, C.A. No. 1:93-5009; and Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Curwood, Inc., E.D.Wisconsin, C.A. No. 2:93-867 — that have been dismissed or closed and for which the question of transfer is therefore now moot; and 2) three other North-em District of Illinois actions — Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Baxter Healthcare Corp., C.A. No. 1:93-5010; Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. A.B. Dick Co., C.A. No. 1:93-5012; and Gross Common Carrier, Inc. v. Polaroid Corp., C.A. No. 1:93-5027 — that movants have withdrawn from the scope of their motion in light of the oppositions to transfer expressed by defendants in those three actions (see footnote 4 of Movants' Reply Brief, Panel Pleading No. 14, filed on November 22, 1993.)
The Panel has also been notified that additional related actions are pending in the Northern District of Illinois. These actions, and any other actions that come to the Panel's attention, will be treated as potential tag-along actions. See Rules 12 and 13, R.P.J.P.M.L., 147 F.R.D. 589, 596-97 (1993).