MDL - 2454 Franck's Lab, Inc. Products Liability Litigation

The Honorable Kurt D. Engelhardt
500 Poydras Street, Room C-367
New Orleans, LA 70130
 
This Multi District Litigation case closed on 4/21/2016. Member cases may still be in progress.
March 30, 2015    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 10 (Rec. Doc. 224)
A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 10 (Rec. Doc. 224).
 
January 23, 2015    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 9 (Rec. Doc. 208)

A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 9 (Rec. Doc. 208).

December 5, 2014    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 8 (Rec. Doc. 192), PDF icon Appendix
A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 8 (Rec. Doc. 192). (Appendix)
 
October 24, 2014    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 7 (Rec. Doc. 174)
A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 7 (Rec. Doc. 174).
 
September 5, 2014    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 6 (Rec. Doc. 141)
A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 6 (Rec. Doc. 141).
 
June 13, 2014    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 5 (Rec. Doc. 129)
A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 11:00 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 5 (Rec. Doc. 129).
 
May 2, 2014    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 4 (Rec. Doc. 93), PDF icon Evanston Memorandum of Understanding
A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:30 a.m. The conference was opened to all counsel via telephone conference at 9:45 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 4 (Rec. Doc. 93) and the Evanston Memorandum of Understanding.
 
April 2, 2014    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 3 (Rec. Doc. 82)

A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 10:30 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 3 (Rec. Doc. 82).

February 19, 2014    PDF icon Status Conference, PDF icon Joint Report No. 2 (Rec. Doc. 71)

A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m. Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 2 (Rec. Doc. 71).

December 19, 2013    PDF icon Joint Report No. 1 (Rec. Doc. 59)

A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m.  Discussed were those items set forth in Joint Report No. 1 (Rec. Doc. 59).

November 13, 2013    PDF icon Order
The Court issued an Order, attaching the agenda discussed at the November 8, 2013 status conference and setting the next status conference of committee members and liaison counsel on Thursday, December 19, 2013 at 9:00 a.m.
 
 
November 8, 2013   
A status conference of committee members and liaison counsel was held in chambers at 9:00 a.m. A general status conference, open to all counsel, was held at 10:00 a.m., with call-in access available for out-of-town counsel.
 
October 24, 2013    PDF icon Order
The Court issued an Order, setting procedures for plaintiffs’ counsel’s time and expense submissions. 
September 20, 2013    PDF icon Pretrial Order #3
The Court issued Pretrial Order No. 3, appointing liaison counsel and the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PSC):
 
  • Scott Silbert is appointed Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel 
  • Craig Watson is appointed Defendants’ Liaison Counsel 
  • The following attorneys are appointed to the PSC: 
  1. Scott E. Silbert; 
  2. Anthony De Los Reyes; 
  3. Gregory L. Bentley; 
  4. Michael J. Ecuyer; 
  5. W. Michael Hingle; 
  6. Peter Durney; 
  7. Daniel M. Hodes; and 
  8. M. Palmer Lambert 
September 12, 2013    PDF icon Pretrial Order #2
The Court issued Pretrial Order No. 2, setting pretrial deadlines and rules governing motion practice.
 
  • A status conference of liaison counsel and committee members shall be held in chambers on Friday, Nov. 8, 2013 at 9:00 a.m., and a general meeting open to all counsel shall be held in the courtroom at 10:00 a.m. on the same date. 
  • Amendments to pleadings, third-party actions, cross-claims and counter-claims shall be filed no later than December 10, 2013. 
  • All discovery related to insurance coverage shall be completed no later than April 30, 2014. 
  • All motions related to insurance coverage shall be filed and served in sufficient time, pursuant to Local Rule 7.2, to permit the moving party to obtain a submission date thereon no later than June 25, 2014. 
  • It is the goal of the parties and the Court to be ready to begin mediation by September 1, 2014. 
September 10, 2013    PDF icon Initial Conference

An initial conference was held in courtroom of Judge Engelhardt at 10:00 a.m. 

August 16, 2013    PDF icon Pretrial Order #1
The Court issued Pretrial Order No. 1, scheduling an initial conference for Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. CST, in Judge Engelhardt's courtroom, Room C351, United States Courthouse, 500 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA 70130.
 
The conference will be held for the purposes specified in Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(a), 16(b), 16(c), and 26(f).
 
Counsel may advise the Court by Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013 via email to efile-Engelhardt@laed.uscourts.gov of items that should be added to the agenda.
 
Counsel for the plaintiffs and the defendants shall submit separate written statements by Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013 via email to efile-Engelhardt@laed.uscourts.gov indicating their preliminary understandings of the facts involved in the litigation and the critical factual and legal issues.
 
Parties shall inform the Court by Monday, Sept. 9, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. CST via email to efile-Engelhardt@laed.uscourts.gov if they have designated an attending attorney to represent their interests at the conference.
 
Counsel for plaintiffs and counsel for defendants shall confer by Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, and seek consensus regarding nomination of candidates for liaison counsel. Nominations shall be submitted to the Court no later than Monday, Sept. 16, 2013 (via email to efile-Engelhardt@laed.uscourts.gov).
 
Applications and nominations for PSC positions must be filed electronically in the master docket no later than Monday, Sept. 16, 2013. Objections shall be filed by Friday, Sept. 20, 2013.
 
August 7, 2013    PDF icon Order

Order received from MDL Panel transferring civil action cases to the Eastern District of Louisiana.

May 2, 2014    PDF icon Order Setting Trial Date (Rec. Doc. 94)

Setting a trial date and establishing other deadlines. 

October 24, 2013    PDF icon Order Regarding Time & Expense Submissions (Rec. Doc. 36)

Establishing procedures for plaintiffs’ counsel’s time and expense submissions.

September 20, 2013    PDF icon Pretrial Order #3
Appointing Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel, Defendants’ Liaison Counsel, and members of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (PSC).
 
September 12, 2013    PDF icon Pretrial Order #2
Setting pretrial deadlines and rules governing motion practice. Also scheduling a status conference of liaison counsel and committee members for Friday, Nov. 8, 2013 at 9:00 a.m., and a general meeting open to all counsel at 10:00 a.m. on the same date.
 
August 16, 2013    PDF icon Pretrial Order #1
Scheduling an initial conference for Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., setting deadlines related thereto, and establishing rules and procedures to govern the litigation.
 
March 30, 2015    PDF icon Joint Report No. 10 (Rec. Doc. 224)
January 23, 2015    PDF icon Joint Report No. 9 (Rec. Doc. 208)
December 5, 2014    PDF icon Joint Report No. 8 (Rec. Doc. 192), PDF icon Appendix
October 23, 2014    PDF icon Joint Report No. 7 (Rec. Doc. 174)
September 5, 2014    PDF icon Joint Report No. 6 (Rec. Doc. 141)
June 16, 2014    PDF icon Joint Report No. 5 (Rec. Doc. 129)
May 5, 2014    PDF icon Joint Report No. 4 (Rec. Doc. 93)
April 2, 2014    PDF icon Joint Report No. 3 (Rec. Doc. 82)
February 19, 2014    PDF icon Joint Report No. 2 (Rec. Doc. 71)
December 19, 2013    PDF icon Joint Report No. 1 (Rec. Doc. 59)