Coffee v. Carroll Cnty.

Jane M. Virden

Before the court is a motion to consolidate (Doc. 9) pursuant to FED. R. CIV. P. 42(a) and L. U. CIV. R. 42 filed by the defendants in Coffee v. Carroll County, Mississippi, et al., 4:11cv144-SA-JMV. Specifically, the defendants seek an order consolidating Coffee with Williams v. Carroll County, Mississippi, et al., 4:11cv145-SA-JMV on the grounds that these cases involve the same defendants who are represented by the same attorneys; the plaintiffs in these separate cases are represented by the same attorneys; and both actions arise from the same incident and involve common questions of law and fact. Additionally, the defendants point out that the two actions are assigned to the same district and magistrate judges. Based on the foregoing and the court's review of the record of these cases, the court finds that they should be consolidated for all purposes in the interest of judicial economy. Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED:

1. That the defendants' motion to consolidate is hereby GRANTED;

2. That the above styled cases are consolidated for all purposes;

3. That the Coffee matter is hereby designated as the lead case; and

4. That all filings shall be made in the lead case.

Jane M. Virden

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE