Accompanying the publication of this Notice to the Bar is a copy of the Supreme Court’s September 17, 2001 Order designating all pending and future litigation statewide involving the drug phenylpropanolamine ('PPA') as a mass tort and transferring the pretrial management of all such cases to Middlesex County to be handled on a coordinated basis by the Honorable Marina Corodemus.
ORDER
It is hereby ORDERED that, in the matter of all pending and future litigation seeking damages or other relief arising out of the use of phenylpropanolamine ('PPA'), all complaints that have been filed in the various counties and that are under case management or in discovery or awaiting case management and discovery are transferred from the county of venue to Superior Court, Law Division, Middlesex County (Vicinage No. 8), and assigned for management to the Honorable Marina Corodemus;
It is FURTHER ORDERED that venue in all existing such litigation as specified above is transferred to Middlesex County (Vicinage No. 8); and
It is FURTHER ORDERED that, pursuant to N.J. Const. (1947), Art.VI, sec.2, par.3, Rule 4:3-2 governing venue in the Superior Court is supplemented and relaxed so that all future complaints seeking damages or other relief arising out of the use of PPA, no matter where they might be venued, shall be transferred to Middlesex County (Vicinage No. 8) and assigned for management to Judge Corodemus; and
It is FURTHER ORDERED that Judge Coroemus, with the assistance of a Special Master previously appointed with approval of the Chief Justice, shall oversee all pretrial case management and discovery for such cases as are governed by this Order and shall determine when such cases are ready for trial whereupon such cases shall be returned to the original county of venue for trial; and
It is FURTHER ORDERED that no Special Master may be appointed in this litigation without the express approval of the Chief Justice.
Document Date: Sept. 25, 2001
Publish Date: Sept. 1, 2001