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Smart Summary

Factual and Procedural Background

On May 29, 1969, plaintiffs in six liquid asphalt antitrust actions pending in the Northern District of California filed a joint motion with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation seeking to transfer all such actions to the Northern District of California for coordinated pretrial proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1407. At that time, there were four other similar cases pending in that district, as well as single cases pending in the Western District of Washington and the District of New Mexico. The government action filed in New Mexico was conceded by all parties to be statutorily excluded from transfer under Section 1407(g).

The motion effectively sought to transfer the State of Washington case from the Western District of Washington to the Northern District of California for coordination with the ten cases already filed there. The Panel, on its own initiative, added three additional cases (listed on Schedule B) for consideration. Various motions and responses were made concerning transfers among districts, including ambiguous and conditional motions by parties. The Panel held a hearing in Denver, Colorado on July 25, 1969, where these motions were considered.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether plaintiffs who are not parties to the actions sought to be transferred have standing to file motions for transfer under 28 U.S.C. § 1407.
  2. Whether the transfer of certain cases for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings would promote just and efficient conduct of the litigation.
  3. Whether ambiguous or unsupported motions to transfer should be granted or denied.

Arguments of the Parties

Defendants' Arguments

  • The moving plaintiffs lack standing to file the transfer motion because they are not parties in any of the actions subject to transfer.

Plaintiffs in the State of Washington Case

  • Requested transfer of certain cases pending in the Northern District of California to the Western District of Washington.
  • Made conditional and alternative motions to transfer their own case to the Northern District of California.

Other Parties

  • Suggested transfer of the State of New Mexico case back to the District of New Mexico under Section 1407.
  • Some parties requested deferral of decision on the transfer of the Master-Krete case.

Table of Precedents Cited

No precedents were cited in the provided opinion.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court applied the statutory language of 28 U.S.C. § 1407(c)(ii), which permits transfer motions only by parties in actions where transfer may be appropriate. Because the moving plaintiffs were not parties in any of the actions proposed for transfer, the court found they lacked standing to file the motion. Similarly, the State of Washington, not being a party to cases in the Northern District of California, also lacked standing to move for transfer. The court further found that the conditional and ambiguous motions lacked factual and legal support, warranting denial. The court considered whether transfers of cases added on its own initiative would promote just and efficient conduct and concluded that such transfers would not be beneficial. The court scheduled a hearing to consider transfer of other cases listed on Schedule A, inviting supplemental memoranda and encouraging parties to organize their arguments to avoid duplication.

Holding and Implications

All pending motions to transfer any of the cases under Section 1407 are hereby denied.

The direct effect of this decision is the denial of all motions to transfer for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings at this time, due to lack of standing and insufficient support. The court set a hearing for September 26, 1969, to consider transfer of certain other cases, inviting further briefing and coordination among parties. This decision does not establish new precedent but clarifies the application of standing requirements under Section 1407 and the necessity of factual and legal support for transfer motions.

In re Multidistrict Private Civil Treble Damage Litigation Involving WESTERN LIQUID ASPHALT.

OPINION AND ORDER

PER CURIAM.

On May 29, 1969 the plaintiffs in six liquid asphalt antitrust actions pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California filed a joint motion with the Panel to transfer all such actions to the Northern District of California for coordinated pretrial proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 1407. At that time there were four other similar cases pending in the Northern District of California and single cases pending in the Western District of Washington and the District of New Mexico. All parties apparently now concede that the government action filed in the District of New Mexico is statutorily excluded from transfer under Section 1407(g). In essence then, the motion was to transfer a single case — the State of Washington Case — from the Western District of Washington to the Northern District of California for coordination or consolidation with the ten cases originally filed there. In our order setting this matter for hearing in Denver, Colorado on July 25, 1969, we added, on our own initiative, the three cases listed on Schedule B.

Dean Miller v. Union Oil Company of California, et al., No. 48391; Cascade Construction Co., Inc. v. Standard Oil Company of California, et al., No. 49638; Pioneer Construction Company, Inc. v. Standard Oil Company of California, et al., No. 49808; Page Paving Company v. Standard Oil Company of California, et al., No. 50307; State of New Mexico v. American Petrofina, Inc., et al., No. 50709; and Klamath County, Oregon v. Standard Oil Company of California, et al., No. 51258.

State of California, et al. v. Standard Oil Company of California, et al., No. 51107; State of Oregon v. Standard Oil Company of California, et al., No. 50173; State of Arizona v. American Petrofina, Inc., et al., No. 51092; and City County of San Francisco v. Union Oil Company of California, et al., No. 51331.

State of Washington v. Chevron Asphalt Company, et al., No. 3846.

United States of America v. Continental Oil Company, et al., No. 8026.

At the hearing and in their prior response to the motion, the defendants contended, inter alia, that the moving plaintiffs lacked standing to make such a motion because they are not parties in any of the actions which will be transferred if the motion is granted. Section 1407(c) (ii) provides that an action can be transferred by "motion filed with the panel by a party in any action in which transfer for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings under this section may be appropriate." [Emphasis added.] Since the moving plaintiffs are not parties in any action in which transfer is contemplated, we believe they lack standing to file such a motion. Their motion will therefore be denied.

In their response to the foregoing motion, the plaintiffs in the State of Washington Case requested the Panel to transfer certain of the cases pending in the Northern District of California to the Western District of Washington for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings under Section 1407. As the State of Washington is not a party to any of the cases pending in the Northern District of California, it likewise lacks standing to make such a motion. This motion will also be denied.

At the hearing, several conditional, alternative and somewhat ambiguous motions were made by the parties including: a motion by the plaintiffs in the State of Washington Case to transfer that action to the Northern District of California; a motion by the original moving plaintiffs to transfer all such cases to the Western District of Washington; and a suggestion that the State of New Mexico Case be transferred to the District of New Mexico under Section 1407. These motions will all be denied because of their ambiguity and complete lack of factual or legal support.

We of course express no opinion as to the merits of the pending motion to transfer the State of New Mexico Case under section 1404(a).

None of the parties in the three cases added by the Panel on its own initiative (see Schedule B) favor the transfer of any of these cases for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceeding. We are convinced that transfer of the State of Kansas or the State of Hawaii Cases would not promote their just and efficient conduct and decline to order such a transfer. At the request of the parties, the decision on the question of whether the Master-Krete Case should be transferred will be deferred for sixty days.

It is therefore ordered that all pending motions to transfer any of the cases under Section 1407 are hereby denied.

It is further ordered that on September 26, 1969, a hearing shall be held on the initiative of the Panel to consider the transfer of the cases listed on Schedule A to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407. All parties are invited to file supplemental memoranda in support of or in opposition to the proposed transfer on or before September 2, 1969. Counsel for all parties supporting transfer and counsel for all parties opposing transfer of the cases on Schedule A should meet separately prior to the hearing for the purpose of organizing their arguments and selecting spokesmen to present all views without duplication. The setting of this matter for hearing does not affect or suspend orders and discovery proceedings in the district courts in which this litigation is now pending.

It is further ordered that the Clerk of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation shall forward a copy of this opinion and order to all counsel for all parties in this litigation.

SCHEDULE A Southern District of California

1. City of San Diego v. Union Oil Company of Civil Action California, et al. No. 69-176-K

SCHEDULE A Western District of Washington

2. State of Washington, et al. v. Chevron Civil Action Asphalt Company, et al. No. 3846

District of Alaska

3. The State of Alaska v. Chevron Asphalt Civil Action Co., et al. No. A-92-69 CIV

District of Arizona

4. Maricopa County v. American Petrofina Civil Action Inc., et al. No. 69-355-Phx

SCHEDULE B Western District of Missouri

1. Master-Krete, Inc., et al. v. Chevron Civil Action Asphalt Company, et al. No. 16060

District of Hawaii

2. State of Hawaii v. Standard Oil Company Civil Action of California, et al. No. 2826

District of Kansas

3. State of Kansas v. Phillips Petroleum, Civil Action et al. No. T-4363

SCHEDULE C Northern District of California

1. Dean Miller v. Union Oil Company of Civil Action California, et al. No. 48391
2. Cascade Construction Co., Inc. v. Civil Action Standard Oil Company of California, No. 49638 et al.
3. Pioneer Construction Co., Inc. v. Civil Action Standard Oil Company of California, No. 49808 et al.
4. Page Paving Company v. Standard Oil Civil Action Company of California, et al. No. 50307
5. State of New Mexico, etc. v. American Civil Action Petrofina, Inc., et al. No. 50709
6. Klamath County, Oregon v. Standard Oil Civil Action Company of California, et al. No. 51258
7. State of California, etc. v. Standard Oil Civil Action Company of California, et al. No. 51107
8. State of Oregon v. Standard Oil Company Civil Action of California, et al. No. 50173
9. State of Arizona, etc. v. American Civil Action Petrofina, Inc., et al. No. 51092
10. City and County of San Francisco v. Civil Action Union Oil Company of California, No. 51331 et al.
11. Sonoma County, California v. Standard Civil Action Oil Company of California, et al. No. 51701

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IN RE WESTERN LIQUID ASPHALT, (JPML 1969)
(Oct 1, 1969)