Court Opinion

ID: 2480954
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2013-10-30 09:50:38.85428+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:33:39.038768
License: Public Domain

502 F. Supp. 2d 1347 (2007)
In Re C.H. ROBINSON WORLDWIDE, INC., OVERTIME PAY LITIGATION.
No. MDL 1849.
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.
July 12, 2007.
*1348 Before WM. TERRELL HODGES, Chairman, D. LOWELL JENSEN, J. FREDERICK MOTZ, ROBERT L. MILLER, Jr.,[*] KATHRYN H. VRATIL, DAVID R. HANSEN and ANTHONY J. SCIRICA, Judges of the Panel.

TRANSFER ORDER
WM TERRELL HODGES, Chairman.
Before the Panel is a motion brought, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, by plaintiffs in the 100 actions listed on Schedule A and two additional actions for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings of these actions in the Northern District of Illinois or, in the alternative, the District of Minnesota.[1] Lone defendant C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW) opposes the motion. After their initial submissions to the Panel, all parties filed a joint pleading with the Panel requesting transfer for the limited purpose of obtaining settlement approval in the Northern District of Illinois or, alternatively, the District of Minnesota.
On the basis of the papers filed and hearing session held (without oral argument), the Panel finds that these actions involve one or more common questions of fact, and centralization under Section 1407 in the District of Minnesota will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of this litigation. The actions involve similar allegations that certain employees of CHRW are entitled to compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), 29 U.S.C. § 201, et seq. Centralization under Section 1407 is necessary in order to conserve the resources of the parties, their counsel and the judiciary, particularly with respect to settlement approval. We decline to circumscribe the breadth of the pretrial proceedings as requested by the parties, instead leaving such matters to the discretion of the transferee judge. Whenever the transferee judge deems remand of any claims or actions appropriate, procedures are available whereby this may be accomplished with a minimum of delay. See Rule 7.6, R.P.J.P.M.L., 199 F.R.D. at 436-38.
We are persuaded that the District of Minnesota is an appropriate transferee forum for this docket. This is the district in which approximately one-fourth of the actions are now pending. Also, the transferee judge to whom we are assigning this litigation has developed a familiarity with the issues, parties, and counsel involved in these actions through presiding over two related actions for the past five years.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, the actions *1349 listed oh Schedule A and pending outside the District of Minnesota are transferred to the District of Minnesota and, with the consent of that court, assigned to the Honorable Joan N. Ericksen for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings with the actions pending in that district and listed on Schedule A.

SCHEDULE A
MDL-1849  In re C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., Overtime Pay Litigation
Northern District of Alabama
Donna Eddy, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:06-4926
Jacqueline Burt, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-630
Brenda Mitchell, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-730
Eastern District of Arkansas
Tammy L. Gately, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 4:07-290
Central District of California
Mimi Vuong v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-1428
Nancy Austin, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 8:07-301
Kent Alles, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 8:07-571
Eastern District of California
Gladys Garcia, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-157
Scott D. Hyder, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-665
Northern District of California
Kimberly Elam, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 4:07-475
Southern District of California
Bryce A. Amburn, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-650
District of Colorado
Mari A. Danielson, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-602
Middle District of Florida
Natesha M. Hyde v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-208
Tracy L. Buglione, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-228
Southern District of Florida
Celeste A. Hernandez, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-60504
Maria Teresa Diaz, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-21033
Northern District of Georgia
Terri Kuvach, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-328
Lynn A. Amorose, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-951
Central District of Illinois
Heidi Michelle Poepsel v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-1101
Northern District of Illinois
Evelyn Sparks, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6461
Angela L. Jacobson v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6465
Anne K Ciaglia, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6507
*1350 Joann M. McGill, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6510
Craig Bowen, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6516
Lynette DiNova, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6545
Joanna Elke, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., CA, No. 1:06-6552
Roy Rogenic, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6553
Michael Blackburn v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6563
Sharon K Dodson-McDonald, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6564
Brendan M. Clarke, et al. v. CH. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6581
Amber Vandersommen, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., CA. No. 1:06-6582
Leslie Nemelka, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6623
Ariel B. Crotty, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-6630
Southern District of Indiana
Catherine A. Wilcox v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:06-197
Southern District of Iowa
Arlene J. Murray, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 4:07-141
District of Kansas
Kimberly K Bethel, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-2129
Lisa M. Quigley, et al v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 6:07-1063
Eastern District of Louisiana
Morgan J. Wood, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-1269
Western District of Louisiana
Richard Cahn, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 5:07-776
District of Massachusetts
Cheryl D. Braithwaite, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:06-12278
Eastern District of Michigan
Carla M. Strugala v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 5:07-10767
Jennifer L. Alfano, et al. v. C.H. Robinson .Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 5:07-11604
Western District of Michigan
Susan J. McGowan, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-361
District of Minnesota
Jamie L. Benner, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4640
Justin Accola, et al. v. G.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4643
Jeffrey Cichosz, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4644
William F. Holmberg, Jr. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4645
Elizabeth Marianne Buck, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4646
Penny M. Cantazaro, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., CA. No. 0:06-4647
*1351 Kathy Cota, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4648
Jill K East, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4649
Kathleen L. Hambleton, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4650
Elizabeth Hopp v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4651
Joann F. Larson v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4652
Kelley S. Lyons, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4653
Kimberly M. Martineau, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4654
Sandra Steinmetz, et al. V.C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4655
John Gino Giovannoni v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:06-4960
Sally J. Dowden, et at., C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-89
Amelia M. Alfaro, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-90
Jennifer L. Alfano, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-251
Claudia Alicia Martinez, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-542
Jennifer N. Mcinnis v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-544
Beth Shaw, et al v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-595
Shannon Davis v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-1119
Esther Nevarez, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-1563
Nora Hageman, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-1870
Patricia A. Parrish, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-1912
Shannon D. Anderson, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-2749
Christopher L. Sims, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 0:07-2878
Eastern District of Missouri
Heather Lee Markle, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 4:07-428
Western District of Missouri
Leslie D. Birdwell, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 6:07-3193
District of Montana
" Jason S. Galloway v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 9:07-45
District of Nebraska
Sharon Haack v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 8:07-130
District of New Jersey
Christine M. Doto, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-1382
District of New Mexico
Dirk Keisesr, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-392
District of Nevada
Debra J. Wentworth v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-145
*1352 Northern District of New York
Laura J. Jeneault, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 5:07-656
Western District of New York
Timothy W. Baierlein, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 1:07-182
Western District of North Carolina
LaToya R. McCants, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-252
Northern District of Ohio
Julie Gallagher, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 5:07-846
Western District of Oklahoma
Timothy J. Bumgarner, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 5:07-278
District of Oregon
Allison M. Cassie, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-333
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Richelle Maki, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-1238
Jennifer L. Walker, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-1355
Western District of Pennsylvania
Wallace Kip Guenther, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-495
District of South Carolina
Rodney Brewer, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:06-3595
Erika DeRoberts, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 6:07-958
District of South Dakota
Angela K Smoot v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 4:07-4038
Eastern District of Tennessee
Carolyn Baker Hall, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-46
Middle District of Tennessee
Kari S. Johnson, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-454
Western District of Tennessee
Rhea L. Nadler, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-2228
Eastern District of Texas
Aaron Smith, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 4:07-1
Northern District of Texas
Stephanie Smith, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-409
Western District of Texas
Adelita Dickson, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 5:07-186
District of Utah
Jason K Bergquist, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-262
Eastern District of Virginia
Thea Winterbottom, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 3:07-390
*1353 Eastern District of Washington
Kim M. Flowers, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-104
Western District of Washington
Wendy L. Ferger, et al. v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-705
Eastern District of Wisconsin
Kelly K Hoell v. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2:07-267
NOTES
[*]  Judge Miller took no part in the decision of this matter.
[1]  Plaintiffs initially included 102 actions in their motion, but later amended the schedule to exclude the 28 Northern District of Illinois actions that were closed and pending transfer under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a) at that time. Two of these actions remain in that status. Because all parties are represented by common counsel and have filed pleadings stating their positions before the Panel, 100 actions are encompassed by this order. The remaining two actions will be treated as potential tagalong actions. See Rules 7.4 and 7.5, R.P.J.P.M.L., 199 F.R.D. 425, 435-36 (2001).