In Re: Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether ("MTBE") Products Liability Litigation Doc.

850

U N I T E D S T A T E S DISTR1C:T COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
X

IN RE: METHYL TERTIARY RUTYL :

ETHER ("MTBE") PRODUCTS
LTABTLTTY L1TIC;ATIOK ORDER

Master File No. 1 :00-1898

This document relates to: MDL 1358 (SAS)
M21-88
Quick, ct al. v. Shell Oil Ch., et al.,
05 Civ. 7269

Koch, et al. v. Hicks, et al., 05 Civ. 5745

Basso, et al. v. Sunoco, Inc., et al.,

03 Civ. 9050

Tonneson, et all. v. Exxon Mobil Corp.,

et al., 03 Civ. 8248

SHTRA .4. SCHEINDT,TN, U.S.D.J.:

CASE MANAGEMENT ORDER #18

(Scheduling Order for Private Well Cascs)

It is hereby ORDERED, that:

'I'hi s Case Management Order sels Sorlh a schedule for discovery and

motion practice in the following four cases (hereinafter the "Private Well Cases"):

Qztick, et al, v. Shell Oil C.'o., et al.

Kouh, et ul. v. Hicnks,et a/.
Rassc~,ef ul. v. SUPIOCO, JIZC., et (11.
Tonrlcsorl, t.t nl. I?. E,~,xo~zMobil C'orp.,er al.

Dockets.Justia.com
I. SCOPE OF DISCOVEKY

Discovery in the Private Well Cases pursuant io this scheduling order*

shall bc limited to case-specific discovery. Any discovery that relates to Plaintiffs'

product liabil i ty claims or othel- issues that are gei~erally applicable to all or most

of thc cases consolidated in MDL 1 35 8 slial l proceed pursuant to t hc Court's other

relevant Orders, not pursuant to the schedule set l'ortl~I~erein.

IT. DISCOVERY SCHEDULES

A. Qi~ick,~tnl.v.ShellOilCo.,~~ul.

Fact discovery may begin 11po11untry ot'this order and shall be

con~pletedby July 30, 2006.

The partics agree that rhe case sl~ouldmove expeditiously toward a

deterillination as to whether the case lna>'proceed as 3 class iic'tion. hccordit~gly:

Plaintiffs shall file t l ~ e Motion

~r for Class Certification. any

supporting memorandum and any materials to be used in support of the Motion for

no later than April 14, 2006;

C'lrjss C'e1+tifi~;ll1~711

1)cfcndants may take the depositions of any witnesses iden~ifiedby

plaintiffs as providing testimony or evidence in support o r the Motion for Class

C'erti tication by May IS, 2006;

Defendants Oppositioi~to Plaintiffs' Motion tbr Class Certification

shall be illled no later than June 15, 2006;

Plaintifl's' Reply Bricf in Support of Motion for Class Certification. if

any, shall be filed no later than July 14, 2006;

'l'he Court shal l hereafter consider setting for hearing the Motion f'or

Class C'zrtification.

H. Tonticlso~t,et~l.v.Exxon~~fvbilCorp.,~~taZ.;Basso,~tal.v.
SUHOCO,Inc., t ~ul.
t

Tonneson and Basso arc related cases - both i11i:olve alleged releases

of gasolinc containing hITRE in the Tow11 of Highla~~ds,

I-Iamlel of Fort

hlontgomery, Orange Counly, New York. The cases shall proceed according to

the following d~scoveryschedule.

1. Fact Discover?

Fact discovery nlav commzl~ceupon the entry of this Order and shall

bc completed by June 30, 2006. Initial requests for productjon of documents shall

be servcd by Januarj' 1 3, 2006. Kesporlses to such requests shall be made and

responsive documents produced by Fcbruary 13,2006. Fact depositions may

commence on or afiel- February 20, 2006. A11 written fact discovery requests and

i~oticesof fact depositions shall be scrved no later than May 3 1 , 2006.

2. Expert Discovery

Any expert reports proffered b). plaintiffs shall be served 011

defendants by July 14, 2017h. cxpert reports proffered by defendants shall be

s e n e d on plaintiffs by August 14, 2006. Any expert depositions ~ 1 1 ~ 1be

1

co~npletedby Scptcmher 15, 2006.

3. Dispositive Motions

Any party may file a motion for summa^-y~udgment or othcr

potentially ~lispositivemotion on or before Octohtr 13, 2006. Any opposition

papers shall be flied on or twforc November 13. 2006. Any reply papers shall hc

t i 1 ed 011 or before Dc~ember1 1 . 7006.

C. Kuclr,c~tnl.v.Hicks,e1ul.

1. Amended Pleading and PI-eliminary Motions

Pcr the Court's Ordel- dated December 12, 2005, the Plain tiffs were

req i~iredto file an Amcridcd Complaint by necembcr 20, 2005. 'I'he Defendants

shall answer 01-otl?crtvise respond to the Amended Comp1:iint by Januav V,2OOb.

Opposition thereto is due by Januarj*27,2006, and rryll. memoranda are due by

Februal-! ti. 2006.

2. Class C'ertification

T11e Plain t l l'k havc withdraw11rhelr previously filed Motion for C'l ass

Certliication. If the P1ainlit.f:~intcnd ta refile their mutiun, they shall identit') their

proposed class ~~cpr-cscntatives

b)' January 16, 2006. ' I h e parties shall scr1.e all
~vrittendiscovery reql~estsdirected to class certification by Fcbruary 15, 2006, and

shall serve responses thereto by March 1 7 , 200h. All depositions directed to class

cestificaric~nshall be completed by July 14, 20110. 'The Plaii~tiffsshall file !heit-

Motion fur Class C'ertificalion by August 1 5. 2006. Opposition thereto shall be

15, 2006. Kcplies shall be liled hy Octubcr 6, 2006. T l ~ eh u r t

due by Scptet~~het

shall thereafter consider settills for hearing the class czrt~ticationmotion.

3. Fact Discovery

Fact d iscovcry shall he completed by Deccr~lber4, 2006.

Acoosdingly, all written fact discovety requcsts shall be served no latcr than

February 15.2006. Responses shall bc served by March 1 7,2006.

Koch Plaintiffs previously served a request for adn~issionsto

Ilct'cndant Hicks berore the Kuch action was removed. Plaintiffs will withdraw

these request for admissions and may propo~mdnew discovcry rcy uests per the

schedulc set forth in this Order. A1I sucll discovcry will supersede any previous

discovery propounded in this mattcr.

~h QRDERED:

Datcd: New York, Ncw York

I>ecernber28. 2005
Liaison Chunsel for Plaintiffs:

Robin Greenwald, Esq.

Robert Gordon, Esq .
C:. Snndcrs McNew. Esq.
W e i l ~& Luxenberg, P.C.
180 Maiden Lane
New York, N Y 10038
Tel: (212) 558-5500
Fax: (21 2 ) 344-546 1

Liaison Counsel for Defendants:

Peter John Sacripanti, Esq.

Jamcs il. Pardo, E s ~ .
S tepl~enJ . R iccardulli, Esq.
McDern~ott,Will & Etnery I,I,t)
50 Rockcfeller Plaza. I I th Floor
New l'ork, N Y 10020
Tel: (212) 547-5583
Fax: ( 21 2') 47-5444