IN RE AH ROBINS CO., INC., ETC., 211.

Citation453 F. Supp. 108
Decision Date16 August 1978
Docket NumberNo. 211.,211.
PartiesIn re A. H. ROBINS CO., INC., "DALKON SHIELD" IUD PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION.
CourtUnited States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation

Before JOHN MINOR WISDOM, Chairman, and EDWARD WEINFELD, EDWIN A. ROBSON, JOSEPH S. LORD, III, STANLEY A. WEIGEL, ANDREW A. CAFFREY and ROY W. HARPER*, Judges of the Panel.

OPINION AND ORDER

PER CURIAM.

The Panel, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407, previously has transferred several actions in this litigation to the District of Kansas and, with the consent of that court, assigned them to the Honorable Frank G. Theis for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings. In re A. H. Robins Co., Inc. "Dalkon Shield" IUD Products Liability Litigation, 438 F.Supp. 942 (Jud.Pan.Mult.Lit. 1977); 419 F.Supp. 710 (J.P.M.L.1976); 406 F.Supp. 540 (Jud.Pan.Mult.Lit.1975). All the actions in this litigation involve claims for injuries allegedly incurred as the result of using the "Dalkon Shield" intrauterine device. Defendant A. H. Robins Co., Inc. (Robins) acquired all rights to the "Dalkon Shield" in June, 1970.

Upon the suggestion of Judge Theis, the Panel issued an order on February 17, 1978, as amended February 22, 1978, to show cause why the actions listed on the following Schedule A1 should not be remanded to their transferor districts.2 See Rule 11(c), R.P.J.P.M.L., 65 F.R.D. 253, 261 (1975). Plaintiff in one of the actions makes a qualified objection to remand. Robins does not object to remand but requests that the Panel's order of remand include suggestions to the transferor judges concerning the further conduct of the remanded actions. Lead and liaison counsel for the plaintiffs and one other counsel representing several plaintiffs oppose any qualifications on remand.

We find that remand of the actions on Schedule A is appropriate at this time and, accordingly, we order the actions remanded to their respective transferor courts. We decline to make any suggestions or include any qualifications that could be perceived as attempts to direct the transferor judges or to make any suggestions to them in the discharge of duties and responsibilities committed solely to those judges.

The actions that Judge Theis has recommended for remand are actions that name Robins as the sole defendant. Judge Theis states that while all pretrial proceedings have not been completed in these actions, all pretrial proceedings of a general nature have been concluded. Judge Theis considers remand of these actions appropriate at this time because the objectives of centralized pretrial proceedings under Section 1407 have been achieved, and because completion of the remaining discovery and resolution of the remaining issues can most expeditiously be effectuated by the transferor courts.3

Plaintiff in one action supports remand of her action only if the Panel's order of remand expressly requires the transferor courts to allow the parties to continue local discovery. Similarly, Robins also desires that the remand order protect the right of the parties to continue pretrial proceedings. Additionally, Robins requests the Panel to suggest that all transferor courts consider Robins's national trial calendar in setting actions for trial.

In considering remand of actions, the Panel is greatly influenced by the transferee judge's suggestion that remand is appropriate. In re Evergreen Valley Project Litigation, 435 F.Supp. 923, 924 (Jud.Pan. Mult.Lit.1977). When actions are transferred pursuant to Section 1407, it is recognized that in some cases situations exist where the purpose of the statute has been satisfied and areas of discovery remain that more properly can be concluded in the original transferor district. The statute contemplates that the transferee judge will conduct the common pretrial proceedings with respect to the actions and any other pretrial proceedings as the transferee judge considers appropriate. Id. Judge Theis's suggestion that remand of the actions on Schedule A is appropriate is obviously an expression that he perceives his role under Section 1407 to be completed regarding those actions. We adopt his recommendation and order remand of the actions.

The Panel is neither empowered nor inclined to direct, or suggest to, a transferor judge how he or she should conduct further proceedings in actions after remand. The questions regarding continuing pretrial proceedings and trial coordination raised by some parties to this litigation, to the extent not already addressed by the pretrial orders of the transferee court, will be, upon remand, within the province of the respective transferor courts. See generally In re Air Crash Disaster at Greater Cincinnati Airport (Constance, Kentucky) on November 20, 1967, 354 F.Supp. 275 (Jud.Pan. Mult.Lit.1973). See also In re Equity Funding Corporation of America Securities Litigation, 375 F.Supp. 1378, 1384 (Jud.Pan. Mult.Lit.1974); In re Plumbing Fixture Cases, 298 F.Supp. 484, 489 (Jud.Pan.Mult. Lit.1968).

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that all actions on the following Schedule A be, and the same hereby are, remanded to the districts from which they were transferred.

                                      SCHEDULE A
                                  District of Kansas
                Norma Sacks v. A. H. Robins Co.             Civil Action
                (N.D.Cal., C75-0920-SAW)                    No. 76-46-C6
                Janette Allyn Hawkinson v. A. H.            Civil Action
                Robins Co. (D.Colorado, 75-W-714)           No. 76-82-C6
                Mary Ikaza v. A. H. Robins Co.              Civil Action
                (D.Colorado, 76-W-103)                      No. 76-121-C6
                Marie Meland v. A. H. Robins Co.,           Civil Action
                Inc. (D.Colo., 76-M-1212)                   No. 77-1089-C6
                Rosalyn Fader v. A. H. Robins Co.           Civil Action
                (D.Conn., H/75-281)                         No. 76-123-C6
                Joan Cart v. A. H. Robins Co.               Civil Action
                (D.D.C., 77-0533)                           No. 77-1188-C6
                Randy Medoff v. A. H. Robins Co.            Civil Action
                (D.D.C., 77-0265)                           No. 77-1136-C6
                Patricia Morse v. A. H. Robins Co.          Civil Action
                (D.D.C., 76-1034)                           No. 76-363-C6
                Lucille Robinson v. A. H. Robins            Civil Action
                Co. (D.D.C., 76-0097)                       No. 76-122-C6
                Rena Hutcheson v. A. H. Robins              Civil Action
                Co. (M.D.Fla., 77-0274-Civ-BK)              No. 77-1189-C6
                Carol Ann McLester v. A. H. Robins          Civil Action
                Co. (M.D.Fla., 77-294-Civ-J-S)              No. 77-1259-C6
                Sharyn Frisbie v. A. H. Robins Co.          Civil Action
                (M.D.Florida, 76-525-Civ-T-H)               No. 76-365-C6
                Gloria Koenig, et al. v. A. H. Robins       Civil Action
                Co. (S.D.Florida, 76-1681-Civ-CF)           No. 76-479-C6
                Shelia Howard v. A. H. Robins Co.           Civil Action
                (S.D.Fla., 76-1522-Civ-JLK)                 No. 76-478-C6
                Lorraine Schwartz, et al. v. A. H.          Civil Action
                Robins Co. (S.D.Fla., 77-2036-Civ-WMH)      No. 77-1327-C6
                Sherrill Marie Little v. A. H. Robins       Civil Action
                Co., Inc. (N.D.Ga., C74-62-G)               No. 75-337-C6
                Rebecca S. Hooker v. A. H. Robins           Civil Action
                Co. (N.D.Ga., C75-26-G)                     No. 75-339-C6
                Phyllis Ann McGregor, et al. v. A.          Civil Action
                H. Robins Co. (N.D.Ga., C75-1933A)          No. 76-50-C6
                Wayne Mings, et ux., Brenda Mings           Civil Action
                v. A. H. Robins Co. (N.D.Ga., C75-2301A)    No. 76-345-C6
                Madelon Y. Vann, et al. v. A. H.            Civil Action
                Robins Co. (N.D.Ga., C76-878A)              No. 76-303-C6
                Emilia N. Kelley v. A. H. Robins            Civil Action
                Co. (N.D.Ga., C77-530A)                     No. 76-1191-C6
                
                Linda S. Szot v. A. H. Robins Co.             Civil Action
                (N.D.Ind., 75-167)                            No. 76-51-C6
                Patricia Elizabeth Junkin v. A. H.            Civil Action
                Robins Co. (N.D.Iowa, C77-2009)               No. 77-1137-C6
                Carita M. Curtis, et al. v. A. H.             Civil Action
                Robins Co. (W.D.Ky., C76-0280-L               No. 76-369-C6
                (A))
                Norma R. and Eric Lee v. A. H.                Civil Action
                Robins Co. (D.Md., H-76-350)                  No. 76-170-C6
                Sherry S. Atkinson v. A. H. Robins            Civil Action
                Co. (D.Md., H-77-1213)                        No. 77-1371-C6
                Catherine and Donald Gaffney v.               Civil Action
                A. H. Robins Co. (D.Md., K-76-313)            No. 76-171-C6
                Kristine and Pierce Michael v. A.             Civil Action
                H. Robins Co. (D.Md., H-74-1158)              No. 75-319-C6
                Theresa Anne Buchanan, et al. v.              Civil Action
                A. H. Robins Co. (D.Md., H-75-1336)           No. 76-84-C6
                Jeanne E. Gugino v. A. H. Robins              Civil Action
                Co. (D.Mass., 77-1877-T)                      No. 77-1325-C6
                Diane R. Plosia v. A. H. Robins Co.           Civil Action
                (D.Mass., 77-2627-M)                          No. 76-373-C6
                Ellen A. Pollack v. A. H. Robins              Civil Action
                Co. (D.Mass., 77-1759-T)                      No. 77-1312-C6
                Barbara & John Kelly v. A. H.                 Civil Action
                Robins Co. (D.Mass., 77-1122-S)               No. 77-1264-C6
                James P. & Mary E. Corcoran v. A.             Civil Action
                H. Robins Co. (D.Mass., 77-665-T)             No. 77-1138-C6
                Kathleen A. & Daniel J. Holt v. A.            Civil Action
                H. Robins Co. (D.Mass., 77-255-S)             No. 77-1121-C6
                Andrea Bachner v. A. H. Robins                Civil Action
                Co., Inc. (D.Mass., 76-4304)                  No. 76-521-C6
                Cynthia G. & Charles Griffin v. A.            Civil Action
                H. Robins Co. (D.Mass., 75-4841-S)            No. 76-127-C6
                Emily A. Samuels v. A. H. Robins              Civil Action
                Co. (D.Massachusetts, CA74-5344-S)            No. 75-321-C6
                Donna M. & Michael A. McCormack               Civil Action
                v. A. H. Robins Co., Inc. (D.Mass.,           No. 76-126-C6
                75-4242-T)
                Susan Johns v. A. H. Robins Co.,              Civil Action
                Inc. (D.Mass., 75-2240-G)                     No. 76-124-C6
                Elaine & David Samick v. A. H.                Civil
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