JPML Rejects Motion to Consolidate and Centralize Tainted Beef Litigation

The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) has denied a motion seeking to consolidate and transfer to a multidistrict litigation court three cases filed in federal courts against companies allegedly responsible for a 2009 E. coli outbreak involving contaminated ground beef. In re: Ne. Contaminated Beef Prods. Liab. Litig., MDL No. 2346 (J.P.M.L., D. Conn., decided April 17, 2012).

According to the court, the cases do not “contain significant overlapping
questions of fact sufficient to warrant centralization of the few involved
actions,” and “the likelihood that additional actions will be filed concerning
this E. coli outbreak—which occurred nearly two and a half years ago and
affected under 30 individuals—seems low. With only three actions pending
in two adjacent districts involved in this litigation, movant has failed to
convince us that centralization is needed.” The court indicated that it would be
“practicable and preferable” for the parties, courts and counsel to informally
cooperate in preparing the cases for trial.