Summary
This document is a Transfer Order issued by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation regarding MDL No. 3140, In re: Depo-Provera Products Liability Litigation. The Panel granted motions to centralize twenty-seven pending actions from eight federal districts into the Northern District of Florida, citing common factual questions regarding alleged meningiomas linked to Depo-Provera use. The order assigns the consolidated pretrial proceedings to Judge M. Casey Rodgers and addresses the parties' competing proposals for the transferee forum.
Topics
Practice areas
Questions Presented
- Whether centralization of the pending products‑liability actions is appropriate
- Whether the Northern District of Florida is a proper transferee district
Holdings
- The Panel found that the actions share common questions of fact and that centralization will promote efficiency and convenience, therefore centralization is appropriate.
- The Northern District of Florida is an appropriate transferee district for this litigation.
Key quotations
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the actions listed on Schedule A are transferred to the Northern District of Florida and, with the consent of that court, assigned to the Honorable M. Casey Rodgers for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.” (at 1)
Factual background
Plaintiffs allege that use of the injectable contraceptive Depo‑Provera caused intracranial meningiomas and that defendants failed to warn of the risk. The actions share common factual questions regarding causation, knowledge of risk, and adequacy of warnings.
Procedural history
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation considered motions to centralize 27 actions pending in eight districts and transferred them to the Northern District of Florida, assigning Judge M. Casey Rodgers to preside.
Remand instructions
Transfer all actions listed on Schedule A to the Northern District of Florida and assign them to Judge M. Casey Rodgers for coordinated pre‑trial proceedings.