Opinion
No. 497.
March 9, 1982.
Before ANDREW A. CAFFREY, Chairman, and ROY W. HARPER, CHARLES R. WEINER, EDWARD S. NORTHROP, ROBERT H. SCHNACKE, FRED DAUGHERTY, and SAM C. POINTER, Jr.,fn_ Judges of the Panel.
Judges Harper and Pointer took no part in the decision of this matter.
ORDER DENYING TRANSFER
Presently before the Panel are two motions, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, filed by two groups of plaintiffs in actions in this docket, to centralize in a single district for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings the 92 actions listed on the attached Schedule A.
The motions before the Panel included 106 actions. The schedules of actions attached to the two motions, however, include thirteen actions that have been dismissed and one action that was never pending in federal court. Accordingly, the two motions taken together encompass a total of 92 actions presently pending in federal district courts.
On the basis of the papers filed and the hearing held, we find that Section 1407 transfer would neither serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses nor further the just and efficient conduct of the litigation. Although we recognize that the actions in this litigation involve some common questions of fact, we are not persuaded that these common questions of fact will predominate over individual questions of fact present in each action. Furthermore, we note that 1) discovery in many actions in this docket is well advanced; and 2) pretrial proceedings have been completed and trial is imminent in at least two actions. Under these circumstances, we cannot conclude that centralization of the actions in this litigation under Section 1407 will further the purposes of the statute. See In re Asbestos and Asbestos Insulation Material Products Liability Litigation, 431 F. Supp. 906, 910 (J.P.M.L. 1977).
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the motions for transfer pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407 be, and the same hereby are, DENIED.
SCHEDULE A Northern District of Alabama
Deborah Louise Parker v. Proctor Gamble, et al., C.A. No. CV-80-HM-1585-S
Theresa J. Boney v. Proctor Gamble, et al., C.A. No. CV-81-C-1062-S
Eastern District of Arkansas
Mike Ford, etc. v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. LR-C-81-493
Northern District of California
Carol A. Thompson, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. C-80-3711-SAW
District of Colorado
Deletha Dawn Lampshire, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-1567
District of Connecticut
Paula Doucette v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. H-81-406
Middle District of Florida
Paula Beaudoin, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-575-ORL-CIV-Y
Shannon M. Keeney, et al. v. The Proctor Distributing Co., C.A. No. 80-597-ORL-CIV-Y
Tammy Carr v. International Playtex Inc., et al., C.A. No. 80-611-ORL-CIV-R
Sandra J. Nester, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., C.A. No. 81-160-CIV-T-H
Northern District of Georgia
Robert A. Ellis, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., C.A. No. C81-794-A
Southern District of Illinois
Charles File, Adm. v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., C.A. No. 81-3213
Central District of Illinois
George Thomas Dorris, etc., et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-2180
Northern District of Iowa
Michael L. Kehm, Adm. v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. C80-119
Nancy C. Vohs v. Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. C81-4069
District of Kansas
Kathleen E. McLaughlin v. The Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-4265
Vickie G. Helton v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1116 Barbara J. Ivey v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1037
Judy M. Mitchell v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1038
Gloria L. DeRoulet v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1039
Cynthia Sue Souter v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1118
Anne E. Somer v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1185
Cynthia A. Butler v. The Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1184
Carolyn K. McKinsey v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-4123
Janet L. Matney v. Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1263
Sarah P. Hughes v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1359
Dana L. Lewis v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1357
Deborah L. Tilghman v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1358
Western District of Kentucky
Brenda Coreau v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., C.A. No. C81-0072-P(J)
Karen McGregor v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., C.A. No. 81-0076-P(J)
Eastern District of Louisiana
Cathy Baudry v. Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1827
Peggy Burns v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1863
Herman J. Byrnes, etc. v. The Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-2413
Eastern District of Michigan
Carol Anne Keene v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-10060-NI
Western District of Missouri
Larry D. Clark v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-0952-CV-W-5
Mary Christine Cervantes v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-0488-CV-W-5
Athalee Kay Manley v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-0907-CV-W-5
Sharon Davis v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-0314-CV-W-5
Debra Ann Bailey, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-0910-CV-W-5
Sherrie D. Biggs v. The Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-0047-W-5
Shawn L. Roberts v. Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-0036-CV-W-5
Mary C. Parker v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-0238-CV-W-5
Arsenius Wasinger, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-04140-CV-W-5
Perry Lane Ruckman v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-5062-CV-W-5
Eastern District of Missouri
Karen K. Lanpher, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., C.A. No. S81-0025C
District of Montana
Ruth E. Pilgrim v. Proctor Gamble, Inc., C.A. No. CV81-18-BU
District of New Hampshire
Mary Ellen Brady, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 80-494-L
Western District of New York
Thomas H. Anderhault, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. CIV-80-996C Philip J. Maciuska, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. CIV-81-34-C
Southern District of New York
Jacqueline Lieber, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., C.A. No. 81-CIV-3708
Northern District of Oklahoma
Joanne E. Watt, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-C-111-B
Western District of Oklahoma
Cynthia Cantrell v. The Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., C.A. No. CIV-81-985
Kristine M. Moen v. Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., C.A. No. CIV-81-791T
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Mary Beth Ralston v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 80-4109
Sheila A. Serianni, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-4652
Marilyn Douglas, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-2425
Anita Peters v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-2427
District of South Carolina
Sidney M. Thompson, etc. v. Proctor Gamble, Inc., et al., C.A. No. 81-71-0
Alice K. Curbeam v. Proctor Gamble, C.A. No. 80-1916-9
Western District of Tennessee
Kathy Blount Woods, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Corp., et al., C.A. No. 80-1128
John M. Rose, etc. v. Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-1008
Teresa Jones, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Corp., C.A. No. 81-1024
Patricia Addington Castleman v. Proctor Gamble Manufacturing Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-2216
Middle District of Tennessee
Diane Carpenter, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-3479
Jan Bown Meadows, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-3478
Avonda L. Lamb, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-3480
Betty Jean Grimes v. Proctor Gamble Paper Products Co., et al., C.A. No. 81-2021
Eastern District of Texas
Jeanne Spaulding v. Proctor Gamble Distributing Co., C.A. No. B-80-778-CA
District of Utah
Richard J. Fors, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-80-539-J
Robin Murdock v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-80-0587-J
Sandra Bryant v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-80-0597-W
Linda Joyce Muir v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-81-0207-J
Cindy Malmstrom v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-81-0461-C
Mary Jane Ogle v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-81-0546-W
Holly E. Staples v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-81-0041-W
Debbie L. Crozier v. Proctor Gamble, C.A. No. C-81-0011-W
Eastern District of Washington
Monica Fabio, et al. v. Proctor Gamble, Inc., C.A. No. C-80-383-RJM
Sandi D. Neddo v. Proctor Gamble, Inc., C.A. No. C-80-415-RJM
Deborah L. Hancock v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. C-80-440-RJM
Catherine L. Kujawski v. Proctor Gamble, Inc., et al., C.A. No. C-81-003-JLQ
Southern District of West Virginia
Theresa Kathleen Jarrett, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. CA-80-2453
Eastern District of Wisconsin
Susan J. Voss, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-C-924Susan M. Menard, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. 80-C-948
Joyce E. Jaraczewski, et al. v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-C-407
Susan Jo White v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-C-948
Western District of Wisconsin
Lynnette Richards v. Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 80-C-596
Southern District of Florida
Vicki Alley v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-8398-CIV-JAG
District of Montana
Karla K. Easton, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., et al., C.A. No. CV-81-123-M
District of New Jersey
Stacy E. Wolf, et al. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 82-130
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Marilyn Hilliard v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-3843
District of South Dakota
Michelle Cramton, etc. v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-4200
Eastern District of Wisconsin
Teresa Campshure v. The Proctor Gamble Co., C.A. No. 81-C-1060