To date there are twenty-four (24) heparin cases filed in Federal District Courts across the country. This number includes our seven (7) cases which are filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division. We expect to file additional cases shortly. Other Federal District Courts include:

· U.S. Dist. Ct., Southern District of Florida (1 case)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., Middle District of Florida (1 case)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., District of New Jersey (2 cases)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern District of Texas (2 cases)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., Northern District of Illinois (4 cases)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., Western District of Pennsylvania (1 case)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern District of Louisiana (1 case)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., District of Puerto Rico (3 cases)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern District of Tennessee (1 case)
· U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern District of Pennsylvania (1 case)

There may be several other cases filed in state courts.

At the present time, the federal cases are being considered for multi-district litigation. Multidistrict litigation (“MDL”) is a procedure utilized in the federal court system to transfer to one federal judge all pending civil cases of a similar type, such as the heparin cases, filed throughout the United States. A panel of seven federal judges that are appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court decide on whether the cases should be transferred.

The judge who gets all the federal cases assigned to him is known as the "transferee judge." The judges from throughout the United States who send cases to the MDL judge are know as the "transferor judges" or "transferor courts."

At a hearing scheduled on May 29, 2008 in Asheville, North Carolina, we will be arguing that all of the federal cases should be transferred here to Toledo on the basis that our federal court has the time, resources and experience to handle the MDL and Toledo is conveniently and centrally located. Other attorneys are seeking a transfer to courts in Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and Puerto Rico. We hope to have a decision in the next few months.


-Submitted by Pamela A. Borgess

Labels: Baxter, Heparin, heparin attorney, heparin lawsuit, heparin lawyer, MDL, MDL; Multi-District Litigation, nightline, OSCS, over sulfated chondroitin sulfate