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- /* The rules for the Multi-District Panel follow. */
-
- RULES OF PROCEDURE
-
- OF THE
-
- JUDICIAL PANEL ON
- MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION
-
-
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
-
- I. GENERAL RULES
-
- Rule
- 1. Definitions
- 2. Place of Keeping Records and Files
- 3. Place of Filing of Papers
- 4. Failure to Comply with Rules
- 5. Practice
-
-
- II. RULES FOR MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION UNDER
- 28 U.S.C. s. 1407
-
- 6. Admission to Practice Before the Panel and Representation in
- Actions
- 7. Manner of Filing [of] Papers
- 8. Service of Papers Filed
- 9. Form of Papers Filed
- 10. Motion Practice
- 11. Show Cause Orders
- 12. Conditional Transfer Orders for "Tag-Along Actions"
- 13. Miscellaneous Provisions Concerning "Tag-Along Actions"
- 14. Termination and Remand
- 15. Applications for Extensions of Time
- 16. Hearings
- 17. Notice of Presentation or Waiver of Oral Argument, and
- Matters Submitted on the Briefs
- 18. Effect of the Pendency of an Action Before the Panel
- 19. Transfer of Files
-
- III. RULES FOR MULTICIRCUIT PETITIONS FOR REVIEW
- UNDER 28 U.S.C. s. 2112(a)(3)
-
-
- 20. Filing of Notices
- 21. Accompaniments to Notices
- 22. Service of Notices
- 23. Form of Notices
- 24. Random Selection
- 25. Service of Panel Consolidation Order
-
-
- I. GENERAL RULES
-
-
- Rule 1. Definitions
-
- As used in these Rules "Panel" means the members of the Judicial
- Panel on Multidistrict Litigation appointed by the Chief Justice
- of the United States pursuant to Section 1407, Title 28, United
- States Code.
-
- "Clerk of the Panel" means the official appointed by the Panel to
- act as Clerk of the Panel and shall include those deputized by
- the Clerk of the Panel to perform or assist in the performance of
- the duties of the Clerk of the Panel.
-
- "Chairman" means the Chairman of the Judicial Panel on
- Multidistrict Litigation appointed by the Chief Justice of the
- United States pursuant to Section 1407, or the member of the
- Panel designated by the Panel to act as Chairman in the absence
- or inability of the appointed Chairman.
-
- A "tag-along action": refers to a civil action pending in a
- district court and involving common questions of fact with
- actions previously transferred under Section 1407.
-
- Rule 2. Place of Keeping Records and Files
-
- The records and files of the Panel shall be kept by the Clerk of
- the Panel at the offices of the Panel. Records and files may be
- temporarily or permanently removed to such places at such times
- as the Panel or the Chairman of the Panel shall direct. The
- Clerk of the Panel may charge fees, as prescribed by the Judicial
- Conference of the United States, for duplicating records and
- files. Records and files shall be transferred to the Federal
- Records Center pursuant to Government Services Administration
- Authority to Dispose Records.
-
- Rule 3. Place of Filing of Papers
-
- All papers for consideration by the Panel shall be submitted for
- filing to the Clerk of the Panel by mailing or delivering to:
-
- Clerk of the Panel
- Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
- 1120 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
- Suite 1002
- Washington, DC 20005
-
- No papers shall be left with or mailed to a Judge of the Panel.
-
- Rule 4. Failure to Comply with Rules
-
- The Clerk of the Panel may, when a paper submitted for filing is
- not in compliance with the provisions of these Rules, refuse to
- file such paper until full compliance is accomplished.
-
- Rule 5. Practice
-
- Where not fixed by statute or rule, the practice shall be that
- heretofore customarily followed by the Panel.
-
- /* Useful guidance for an attorney who has not had the pleasure
- of being before the panel before. */
-
- II. RULES FOR MULTIDISTRICIT LITIGATION UNDER
- 28 U.S.C. s. 1407
-
-
- Rule 6. Admission to Practice Before the Panel and
- Representation in Transferred Actions
-
- Every member in good standing of the Bar of any district court of
- the United States is entitled without condition to practice
- before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. Any
- attorney of record in any action transferred under Section 1407
- may continue to represent his or her client in any district court
- of the United States to which such action is transferred.
- Parties to any action transferred under Section 1407 are not
- required to obtain local counsel in the district to which such
- action is transferred.
-
- Rule 7. Manner of Filing of Papers
-
- (a) An original of the following papers shall be submitted for
- filing to the Clerk of the Panel: a proof of service pursuant to
- Rule 8(a) and (b) of these Rules, a notice of appearance pursuant
- to Rule 8(c) of these Rules, a status notice pursuant to Rules
- 10(e), 11(e) and 12(b) of these Rules, a notice of opposition
- pursuant to Rules 12(c) and 14(f)(ii) of these Rules, a notice of
- related action pursuant to Rule 13(e) of these Rules, an
- application for extension of time pursuant to Rule 15 of these
- Rules, or a notice of presentation or waiver of oral argument
- pursuant to Rule 17(a) of these Rules. An original and eleven
- copies of all other papers shall be submitted for filing of the
- Clerk of the Panel. The Clerk of the Panel may require that
- additional copies also be submitted for filing.
-
- (b) When papers are submitted for filing in compliance with the
- provisions of these Rules, the Clerk of the Panel shall endorse
- thereon the date for filing.
-
- (c) Copies of motions for transfer of an action or actions
- pursuant to 28 U.S.C. s. 1407 shall be filed in each district
- court in which an action is pending that will be affected by the
- motion. Copies of a motion for remand pursuant to 28 U.S.C. s.
- 1407 shall be filed in the Section 1407 transferee district court
- in which any action affected by the motion is pending.
-
- Rule 8. Service of Papers Filed
-
- (a) All papers filed with the Clerk of the Panel shall be
- accompanied by proof of service on all other parties in all
- actions involved in the litigation. Service and proof of service
- shall be made as provided in Rules 5 and 6 of the Federal Rules
- of Civil Procedure. The proof of service shall indicate the name
- and address of each person served and shall indicate the party
- represented by each. If a party is not represented by counsel,
- the proof of service shall indicate the name of the party and his
- last known address. The proof of service shall indicate why any
- person named as a party in a constituent complaint was not served
- with the Section 1407 pleading. The original proof of service
- shall be filed with the Clerk of the Panel and copies thereof
- shall be sent to each person included within the proof of
- service. After the "Panel Service List" described in subsection
- (d) of this Rule has been received from the Clerk of the Panel,
- the "Panel Service List" shall be utilized for service of
- responses to motions and all other filings. In such instances,
- the "Panel Service List" shall be attached to the proof of
- service and shall be supplemented in the proof of service in the
- event of the presence of additional parties or successor counsel.
-
- (b) The proof of service pertaining to motions for transfer of
- actions pursuant to 28 U.S.C. s. 1407 shall certify that copies
- of the motions have been mailed or otherwise delivered for filing
- to the clerk of each district court in which an action is pending
- that will be affected by the motion. The proof of service
- pertaining to a motion for remand pursuant to 28 U.S.C. s. 1407
- shall certify that a copy of the motion has been mailed or
- otherwise delivered for filing to the clerk of the Section 1407
- transferee district court in which any action affected by the
- motion is pending.
-
- (c) Within eleven days of filing of a motion to transfer, an
- order to show cause or a conditional transfer order, each party
- or designated attorney shall notify the Clerk of the Panel, in
- writing, of the name and address of the attorney designated to
- receive service of all pleadings, notices, orders and other
- papers relating to practice before the Judicial Panel on
- Multidistrict Litigation. Only one attorney shall be designated
- for each party. Any party not represented by counsel shall be
- served by mailing such pleadings to the party's last known
- address. Requests for an extension of time to file the
- designation of attorney shall not be granted except in
- extraordinary circumstances.
-
- (d) In order to facilitate compliance with subsection (a) of this
- Rule, the Clerk of the Panel shall prepare and serve on all
- counsel and parties not represented by counsel, a "Panel Service
- List" containing the names and addresses of the designated
- attorneys and the party or parties they represent and the names
- and addresses of the parties not represented by counsel.
-
- (e) If following transfer of any group of multidistrict
- litigation, the transferee district court appoints liaison
- counsel, this Rule shall be satisfied by serving each party in
- each affected action and all liaison counsel. Liaison counsel
- designated by the transferee district court shall receive copies
- of all Panel orders concerning their particular litigation and
- shall be responsible for distribution to the parties for whom he
- or she serves as liaison counsel.
-
- Rule 9. Form of Papers Filed
-
- (a) Averments in any motion seeking action by the Panel shall be
- made in numbered paragraphs, each of which shall be limited, as
- far as practicable, to a statement of a single factual averment.
-
- (b) Responses to averments in motions shall be made in numbered
- paragraphs, each of which shall correspond to the number of the
- paragraph of the motion to which the responsive paragraph is
- directed. Each responsive paragraph shall admit or deny wholly
- or in part the averment of the motion, and shall contain the
- respondent's version of the subject matter when the averment or
- the motion is not wholly admitted.
-
- (c) Each pleading filed shall be
-
- (i) flat and unfolded;
-
- (ii) plainly written, typed in double space, printed or
- prepared by means of a duplicating process, without erasures or
- interlineations which materially defect it;
-
- (iii) an opaque, unglazed, white paper (not onionskin);
-
- (iv) approximately 8-1/2 x 11 inches in size; and
-
- (v) secured on the left margin.
-
- (d) The heading on the first page of each pleading shall commence
- not less than three inches from the top of the page. Each
- pleading shall bear the heading "Before the Judicial Panel on
- Multidistrict Litigation," the identification "MDL Docket
- No._______" and the appropriate descriptive title of the
- litigation involved.
-
- (e) The final page of each pleading shall contain the name,
- address and telephone number of the attorney or party in active
- charge of the case.
-
- (f) Except with the approval of the Panel, each brief submitted
- for filing with the Panel shall be limited to twenty pages,
- exclusive of exhibits.
-
- Rule 10. Motion Practice
-
- (a) All requests for action by the Panel under 28 U.S.C. s. 1407
- shall be made by written motion. Every motion shall be
- accompanied by:
-
- (i) a brief in support thereof in which the background of
- the litigation and factual and legal contentions of the movant
- shall be concisely stated in separate portions of the brief with
- citation of applicable authorities; and
-
- (ii) a schedule giving
-
- (A) the complete name of each action involved;
-
- (B) the district court in which each action is pending;
-
- (C) the civil action number of each action; and
-
- (D) the name of the judge assigned each action, if known.
-
- (b) The Clerk of the Panel shall notify recipients of a motion
- of the filing date, caption, MDL docket number, briefing schedule
- and pertinent Panel policies.
-
- (c) Within twenty days after filing of a motion, all other
- parties shall file a response thereto. Failure of a party to
- respond to a motion shall be treated as that party's acquiescence
- to the action requested in the motion.
-
- /* More and more courts have moved to this type of system. It is
- mandatory when the Judges are located all over the country. */
-
- (d) The movant may, within five days after the lapse of the time
- period for filing responsive briefs, file a single brief in reply
- to any opposition.
-
- (e) Motions, their accompaniments, responses, and replies shall
- also be governed by Rules 7, 8 and 9 of these Rules.
-
- (f) With respect to any action that is the subject of Panel
- consideration, counsel shall notify the Clerk of the Panel of any
- development that would partially or completely moot the matter
- before the Panel.
-
- (g) A joinder in a motion shall not add any action to the
- previous motion.
-
- (h) Once a motion is filed, any responsive pleading that
- purports to be a "motion" in the docket shall be filed by the
- Clerk of the Panel as a response unless the "motion" adds an
- action. The Clerk of the Panel upon designating such a pleading
- as a motion, shall acknowledge that designation by the
- distribution of a briefing schedule to all parties in the docket.
- Response time resulting from an additional motion shall
- ordinarily be extended only to those parties directly affected by
- the additional motion. An accelerated briefing schedule for the
- additional motion may be set by the Clerk of the Panel to conform
- with the hearing schedule established by the Chairman.
-
- Rule 11. Show Cause Orders
-
- (a) When transfer of multidistrict litigation is being
- considered on the initiative of the Panel pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
- s. 1407(c)(i), an order shall be filed by the Clerk of the Panel
- directing the parties to show cause why the action or actions
- should not be transferred for coordinated or consolidated
- pretrial proceedings. Any party or counsel in such actions shall
- notify the Clerk of the Panel of any other federal district court
- actions related to the litigation encompassed by the show cause
- order. This notification shall include not only additional
- actions pending at the time of the issuance of the show cause
- order but also all future-filed related federal actions.
-
- (b) Any party may file a response to the show cause order within
- twenty days of the filing of said order unless otherwise provided
- for in the order. Failure of a party to respond to a show cause
- order shall be treated as that party's acquiescence to the Panel
- action contemplated in the order.
-
- (c) Within five days after the lapse of the time period for
- filing a response, any party may file a reply limited to new
- matters.
-
- (d) Responses and replies shall be filed and served in
- conformity with Rules 7, 8 and 9 of these Rules.
-
- (e) With respect to any action that is the subject of Panel
- consideration, counsel shall notify the Clerk of the Panel of any
- development that would partially or completely moot the matter
- before the Panel.
-
- Rule 12. Conditional Transfer Orders for "Tag-Along Actions"
-
- (a) Upon learning of the pendency of a potential "tag-along
- action," as defined in Rule 1 of these Rules, an order may be
- entered by the Clerk of the Panel transferring that action to the
- previously designated transferee district court on the basis of
- the prior hearing or hearings and for the reasons expressed in
- previous opinions and orders of the Panel in the litigation. The
- Clerk of the Panel shall serve this order on each party to the
- litigation but, in order to afford all parties the opportunity to
- oppose transfer, shall not send the order to the clerk of the
- transferee district court for fifteen days from the entry
- thereof.
-
- (b) Parties to an action subject to a conditional transfer order
- shall notify the Clerk of the Panel within the fifteen-day period
- if that action is no longer pending in its transferor district
- court.
-
- (c) Any party opposing the transfer shall file a notice of
- opposition with the Clerk of the Panel within the fifteen-day
- period. If a notice of opposition is received by the Clerk of
- the Panel within this fifteen-day period, the Clerk of the Panel
- shall not transmit said order to the clerk of the transferee
- district court until further order of the Panel.
-
- (d) Within fifteen days of the filing of its notice of
- opposition, the party opposing transfer shall file a motion to
- vacate the conditional transfer order and brief in support
- thereof. The Clerk of the Panel shall set the motion for hearing
- at the next appropriate session of the Panel. Failure to file
- and serve a motion and brief shall be treated as withdrawal of
- the opposition and the Clerk of the Panel shall forthwith
- transmit the order to the clerk of the transferee district court.
-
- (e) Conditional transfer orders do not become effective unless
- and until they are filed with the clerk of the transferee
- district court.
-
- (f) Notices of opposition and motions to vacate orders of the
- Panel and responses thereto shall be governed by Rules 7, 8, 9
- and 10 of these Rules.
-
- Rule 13. Miscellaneous Provisions Concerning "Tag-Along Actions"
-
- (a) Potential "tag-along actions" filed in the transferee
- district require no action on the part of the Panel and requests
- for assignment of such actions to the Section 1407 transferee
- judge should be made in accordance with local rules for the
- assignment of related actions.
-
- (b) Upon learning of the pendency of a potential "tag-along
- action" and having reasonable anticipation of opposition to
- transfer of that action, the Panel may direct the Clerk of the
- Panel to file a show cause order, in accordance with Rule 11 of
- these Rules, instead of a conditional transfer order.
-
- (c) Failure to serve one or more of the defendants in a
- potential "tag-along action" with the complaint and summons as
- required by Rule 4 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure does
- not preclude transfer of such action under Section 1407. Such
- failure, however, may be submitted by such a defendant as a basis
- for opposing the proposed transfer. The inability of the Clerk
- of the Panel to serve a conditional transfer order on all
- defendants or their counsel shall not render the transfer of the
- action void but can be submitted by such a defendant as a basis
- for moving to remand as to such defendant.
-
- (d) A civil action apparently involving common questions of fact
- with actions under consideration by the Panel for transfer under
- Section 1407, which was filed or came to the attention of the
- Panel either after the initial hearing before it or too late to
- be included in the initial hearing, will be treated by the Panel
- as a potential "tag-along action."
-
- (e) Any party or counsel in actions previously transferred under
- Section 1407 or under consideration by the Panel for transfer
- under Section 1407 shall notify the Clerk of the Panel of any
- potential "tag-along actions" in which that party is also named
- or in which that counsel appears.
-
- Rule 14. Termination and Remand
-
- In the absence of unusual circumstances --
-
- (a) Actions terminated in the transferee district court by valid
- judgment, including but not limited to summary judgment, judgment
- of dismissal and judgment upon stipulation, shall not be remanded
- by the Panel and shall be dismissed by the transferee district
- court. The clerk of the transferee district court shall send a
- copy of the order terminating the action to the Clerk of the
- Panel but shall retain the original files and records unless
- otherwise directed by the transferee judge or by the Panel.
-
- (b) Each transferred action that has not been terminated in the
- transferee district court shall be remanded by the Panel to the
- transferor district for trial, unless ordered transferred by the
- transferee judge to the transferee or other district under 28
- U.S.C. s. 1404(a) or 28 U.S.C. s. 1406. In the event that the
- transferee judge so transfers an action under 28 U.S.C. s.s.
- 1404(a) or 1406, no further action of the Panel shall be
- necessary to authorize further proceedings including trial.
- Actions that were originally filed in the transferee district
- require no action by the Panel to be reassigned to another judge
- in the transferee district at the conclusion of the coordinated
- or consolidated pretrial proceedings affecting those actions.
-
- (c) The Panel shall consider remand of each transferred action
- or any separable claim, cross-claim, counterclaim or third-party
- claim at or before the conclusion of coordinated or consolidated
- pretrial proceedings on
-
- (i) motion of any party,
- (ii) suggestion of the transferee district court, or
- (iii) the Panel's own initiative, by entry of an order to
- show cause, a conditional remand order or other appropriate
- order.
-
- (d) The Panel is reluctant to order remand absent a suggestion
- of remand from the transferee district court. If remand is
- sought by motion of a party, the motion shall be accompanied by:
-
- (i) an affidavit reciting
-
- (A) whether the movant has requests a suggestion of remand
- from the transferee district court, how the court responded to
- any requests, and, if no such request was made, why;
-
- (B) whether all common discovery and other pretrial
- proceedings have not completed to the action sought to be
- remanded, and if not, what remains to be done; and
-
- (C) whether all orders of the transferee district court
- have been satisfactorily complied with, and if not, what remains
- to be done; and
-
- (ii) a copy of the transferee district court's final
- pretrial order, where such order has been entered.
-
- Motions to remand and responses thereto shall be governed by
- Rules 7, 8, 9 and 10 of these Rules.
-
- (e) When an order to show cause why an action or actions should
- not be remanded is entered pursuant to subsection (c), paragraph
- (iii) of this Rule, any party may file a response within twenty
- days of the filing of said order unless otherwise provided for in
- the order. Within five days of filing of a party's response, any
- party may file a reply brief limited to new matters. Failure of
- a party to respond to a show cause order regarding remand shall
- be treated as that party's acquiescence to the remand. Responses
- and replies shall be filed and served in conformity with Rules 7,
- 8 and 9 of these Rules.
-
- (f) Conditional remand orders. (i) When the Panel has been
- advised by the transferee district judge, or otherwise has reason
- to believe, that pretrial proceedings in the litigation assigned
- to the transferee district judge are concluded or that remand of
- an action or actions is otherwise appropriate, an order may be
- entered by the Clerk of the Panel remanding the action or actions
- to the transferor district court. The Clerk of the Panel shall
- serve this order on each party to the litigation but, in order to
- afford all parties the opportunity to oppose remand, shall not
- send the order to the clerk of the transferee district court for
- fifteen days from the entry thereof.
-
- (ii) Any party opposing the remand shall file a notice of
- opposition with the Clerk of the Panel within the fifteen-day
- period. If a notice of opposition is received by the Clerk of
- the Panel within this fifteen-day period, the Clerk of the Panel
- shall not transmit said order to the clerk of the transferee
- district court until further order of the Panel.
-
- (iii) Within fifteen days of the filing of its notice of
- opposition, the party opposing remand shall file a motion to
- vacate the conditional remand order and brief in support thereof.
- The Clerk of the Panel shall set the motion for hearing at the
- next appropriate session of the Panel. Failure to file and serve
- a motion and brief shall be treated as a withdrawal of the
- opposition and the Clerk of the Panel shall forthwith transmit
- the order to the clerk of the transferee district court.
-
- (iv) Conditional remand orders do not become effective
- unless and until they are filed with the clerk of the transferee
- district court.
-
- (v) Notice of opposition and motions to vacate such orders
- of the Panel and responses thereto shall be governed by Rules 7,
- 8, 9 and 10 of these Rules.
-
- (g) Upon receipt of an order to remand from the Clerk of the
- Panel, the parties shall furnish forthwith to the transferee
- district clerk a stipulation or designation of the contents of
- the record or part thereof to be remanded and furnish the
- transferee district clerk all necessary copies of any pleading or
- other matter filed so as to enable to transferee district clerk
- to comply with the order of remand.
-
- Rule 15. Applications for Extensions of Time
-
- Any application for an extension of time to file a pleading or
- perform an act required by these Rules must be in writing, must
- request a specific number of additional days and may be acted
- upon by the Clerk of the Panel. Such an application will be
- evaluated in relation to the impact on the Panel's calendar as
- well as on the basis of the reasons set forth in support of the
- application. Any party aggrieved by the Clerk of the Panel's
- action on such application may submit its objections to the Panel
- for consideration. All applications for extensions of time shall
- be filed and served in conformity with Rules 7, 8 and 9 of these
- Rules.
-
- Rule 16. Hearings
-
- (a) Hearings shall be held as ordered by the Panel. The Panel
- shall convene whenever and wherever desirable or necessary in the
- judgment of the Chairman. The Chairman shall determine which
- matters shall be set for hearing at each session and the Clerk of
- the Panel shall give notice to counsel for all parties involved
- in the litigation of the time, place and subject matter of such
- hearing.
-
- (b) No transfer or remand determination regarding any action
- pending in district court shall be made by the Panel when any
- party timely opposes such transfer or remand unless a hearing has
- been held or unless the matter has been submitted on the briefs
- in accordance with Rule 17 of these Rules. Unless otherwise
- ordered by the Panel, all other matters before the Panel, such as
- a motion for reconsideration, shall be considered and determined
- upon the basis of the papers filed.
-
- (c) Except for leave of the Panel on a showing of good cause,
- only those parties who have filed a motion or written response to
- a motion or order shall be permitted to appear before the Panel
- and present oral argument.
-
- (d) When the Panel is hearing oral argument regarding whether to
- transfer a potential tag-along action, or whether to remand a
- previously transferred action, ordinarily only the parties in
- that action will be permitted to present oral argument,
- regardless of whether papers have been filed by other interested
- parties.
-
- (e) Counsel for those supporting transfer or remand under
- Section 1407 and counsel for those opposing such transfer or
- remand are to confer separately prior to the hearing for the
- purpose of organizing their arguments and selecting
- representatives to present all views without duplication.
-
- (f) Unless otherwise ordered by the Panel, a maximum of thirty
- minutes shall be allotted for argument in each new group of
- actions being considered for Section 1407 treatment and a maximum
- of twenty minutes shall be allotted for arguments in all other
- matters. The time shall be divided equally among those with
- varying viewpoints. Counsel for the moving party or parties
- shall generally be heard first.
-
- (g) So far as practicable and consistent with the purposes of
- Section 1407, the offering of oral testimony before the Panel
- shall be avoided. Accordingly, oral testimony shall not be
- received except upon notice, motion and order of the Panel
- expressly providing for it. Proof may be submitted as provided
- in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
-
- (h) After an action or group of actions has been set for
- hearing, it may only be continued by order of the Panel on good
- cause shown.
-
- Rule 17. Notice of Presentation or Waiver of Oral Argument, and
- Matters Submitted on the Briefs
-
- (a) At such time in advance of the date of the hearing as
- required by the Clerk of the Panel in the notice of hearing,
- counsel shall notify the Clerk of the Panel in writing of one of
- the following: (1) counsel will waive oral argument, if all
- other counsel in the matter set for hearing waive oral argument;
- (2) counsel will present oral argument, regardless of whether
- any other counsel in the matter set for hearing presents oral
- argument; or (3) counsel waives oral argument. All notices of
- presentation or waiver of oral argument shall be filed and served
- in conformity with Rules 7 and 8 of these Rules.
-
- (b) If all parties to a matter set for hearing waive oral
- argument, the matter shall be submitted for decision by the Panel
- on the basis of the papers filed. If a party is not present when
- a matter to be heard is called at the hearing, the matter shall
- be rescheduled and that party's position shall be treated as
- submitted for decision by the Panel on the basis of the papers
- filed, unless otherwise ordered by the Panel.
-
- Rule 18. Effect of the Pendency of an Action Before the Panel
-
- The pendency of a motion, order to show cause, conditional
- transfer order or conditional remand order before the Panel
- concerning transfer or remand of an action pursuant to 28 U.S.C.
- s. 1407 does not affect or suspend orders and pretrial
- proceedings in the district court in which the action is pending
- and does not in any way limit the pretrial jurisdiction of that
- court. A transfer or remand pursuant to 28 U.S.C. s. 1407 shall
- be effective when the transfer or remand order is filed in the
- office of the clerk of the district court of the transferee
- district.
-
- Rule 19. Transfer of Files
-
- (a) Upon receipt of a certified copy of a transfer order from
- the clerk of the transferee district court, the clerk of the
- transferor district court shall forward to the clerk of the
- transferee district court the complete original file and a
- certified copy of the docket sheet for each transferred action.
-
- (b) If an appeal is pending, or a notice of appeal has been
- filed, or leave to appeal has been sought under 28 U.S.C. s.
- 1292(b) or petition for an extraordinary writ is pending, in an
- action included in an order of transfer under 28 U.S.C. s. 1407,
- and the original file or parts thereof have been forwarded to the
- court of appeals, the clerk of the transferor district court
- shall notify the clerk of the court of appeals of the order of
- transfer and secure the original file long enough to prepare and
- transmit to the clerk of the transferee district court a
- certified copy of the docket sheet.
-
- (c) If the transfer order provides for the separation and
- simultaneous remand of any claim, cross-claim, counterclaim, or
- third-party claim, the clerk of the transferor district court
- shall retain the original file and shall prepare and transmit to
- the clerk of the transferee district court a certified copy of
- the docket sheet and copies of all papers except those relating
- exclusively to separated and remanded claims.
-
- (d) Upon receipt of an order to remand from the Clerk of the
- Panel, the transferee district court shall prepare and send to
- the clerk of the transferor district court the following:
-
- (i) a certified copy of the individual docket sheet for
- each action be remanded;
-
- (ii) a certified copy of the master docket sheet, if
- applicable;
-
- (iii) the entire file for each action being remanded;
-
- (iv) a certified copy of the final pretrial order, if
- applicable; and
-
- (v) a "record on remand" to be composed of those parts of
- the files and records produced during coordinated or consolidated
- pretrial proceedings which have been stipulated to or designated
- by counsel as being necessary for any or all proceedings to be
- conducted following remand. It shall be the responsibility of
- counsel originally preparing or filing any document to be
- included in the "record on remand" to furnish on request
- sufficient copies to the clerk of the transferee district court.
-
- (e) The Clerk of the Panel shall be notified when any files have
- been transmitted pursuant to this Rule.
-
- III. RULES FOR MULTICIRCUIT PETITIONS FOR REVIEW
- UNDER 28 U.S.C. s. 2112(a)(3)
-
-
- Rule 20. Filing of Notices
-
- (a) An original of a notice of multicircuit petitions for review
- pursuant to 28 U.S.C. s. 2112(a)(3) shall be submitted for filing
- to the Clerk of the Panel by the affected agency, board,
- commission or officer. The term "agency" as used in Section III
- of these Rules shall include agency, board, commission or
- officer.
-
- (b) All notices of multicircuit petitions for review submitted
- by the affected agency for filing with the Clerk of the Panel
- shall embrace exclusively petitions for review filed in the
- courts of appeals within ten days after issuance of an agency
- order and received by the affected agency from the petitioners
- within that ten day period.
-
- (c) When a notice of multicircuit petitions for review is
- submitted for filing to the Clerk of the Panel, and the Clerk of
- the Panel determines that the submission is in compliance with
- the provisions of these Rules, the Clerk of the Panel shall file
- the notice and endorse thereon the date of filing.
-
- (d) Copies of notices of multicircuit petitions for review shall
- be filed by the affected agency with the clerk of each circuit
- court of appeals in which a petition for review is pending that
- is included in the notice.
-
- Rule 21. Accompaniments to Notices
-
- (a) All notices of multicircuit petitions for review shall be
- accompanied by:
-
- (i) a copy of each involved petitions for review as the
- petition for review is defined in 28 U.S.C. s. 2112(a)(2); AND
-
- (ii) a schedule giving
-
- (A) the date of the relevant agency order;
-
- (B) the case name of each petition for review involved;
-
- (C) the circuit court of appeals in which each petition for
- review is pending;
-
- (D) the appellate docket number of each petition for
- review;
-
- (E) the date of filing by the court of appeals of each
- petition for review; and
-
- (F) the date of receipt by the agency of each petition for
- review.
-
- (b) The schedule in Subsection (a)(ii) of this Rule shall also
- be governed by Rules 20, 22 and 23(a) of these Rules.
-
- Rule 22. Service of Notices
-
- (a) All notices of multicircuit petitions for review shall be
- accompanied by proof of service by the affected agency on all
- parties in all petitions for review included in the notice.
- Service and proof of service shall be made as provided in Rule 25
- of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. The proof of
- service shall state the name and address of each person served
- and shall indicate the party represented by each. If a party is
- not represented by counsel, the proof of service shall indicate
- the name of the party and his or her last known address. The
- original proof of service shall be submitted by the affected
- agency for filing with the Clerk of the Panel and copies thereof
- shall be sent by the affected agency to each person included
- within the proof of service.
-
- (b) The proof of service pertaining to notices of multicircuit
- petitions for review shall certify that copies of the notice have
- been mailed or otherwise delivered by the affected agency for
- filing to the clerk of each circuit court of appeals in which a
- petition for review is pending that is included in the notice.
-
- Rule 23. Form of Notices
-
- (a) Each notice of multicircuit petitions for review shall be
-
- (i) flat and unfolded;
-
- (ii) plainly written, typed in double space, printed or
- prepared by means of a duplicating process, without erasures or
- interlineations which materially defect it;
-
- (iii) on opaque, unglazed, white paper (not onionskin);
-
- (iv) approximately 8-1/2 x 11 inches in size; and
-
- (v) secured on the left margin.
-
-
- (b) The heading on the first page of each notice of multicircuit
- petitions for review shall commence not less than three inches
- from the top of the page. Each notice shall bear the heading
- "Notice to the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation of
- Multicircuit Petitions for Review."
-
- (c) The final page of each notice of multicircuit petitions for
- review shall contain the name, address and telephone number of
- the individual or individuals who submitted the notice on behalf
- of the agency.
-
- Rule 24. Random Selection
-
- (a) Upon filing a notice of multicircuit petitions for review,
- the Clerk of the Panel or designated deputy shall randomly select
- a circuit court of appeals from a drum containing an entry for
- each circuit wherein a constituent petition for review is
- pending. Multiple petitions for review pending in a single
- circuit shall be allotted only a single entry in the drum. The
- random selection shall be witnessed by the Clerk of the Panel or
- a designated deputy other than the random selector. Thereafter,
- an order on behalf of the Panel shall be issued, signed by the
- random selector and the witness,
-
- (i) consolidating the petitions for review in the court of
- appeals for the circuit that was randomly selected; and
-
- (ii) designating that circuit as the one in which the
- record is to be filed pursuant to Rules 16 and 17 of the Federal
- Rules of Appellate Procedure.
-
- (b) A consolidation of petitions for review shall be effective
- when the Panel's consolidation order is filed at the offices of
- the Panel by the Clerk of the Panel.
-
- Rule 25. Service of Panel Consolidation Order
-
- (a) The Clerk of the Panel shall serve the Panel's consolidation
- order on the affected agency through the individual or
- individuals, as identified in Rule 23(c) of these Rules, who
- submitted the notice of multicircuit petitions for review on
- behalf of the agency.
-
- (b) That individual or individuals, or anyone else designated by
- the agency, shall promptly serve the Panel's consolidation order
- on all other parties in all petitions for review included in the
- Panel's consolidation order, and shall promptly submit a proof of
- that service to the Clerk of the Panel. Service and proof of
- that service shall also be governed by Rule 22 of these Rules.
-
- (c) The Clerk of the Panel shall serve the Panel's consolidation
- order on the clerks of all circuit courts of appeals that were
- among the candidates for the Panel's random selection.
-
-