Judge: No Federal Class in Vioxx Cases

AP ^ | 11/22/6

[SmithL]

New Orleans -- Thousands of federal lawsuits claiming the drug Vioxx caused heart attacks and other conditions that killed or injured people cannot be pooled into one national class action, a judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Eldon Fallon, who was appointed to deal with pretrial matters for all federal suits involving Merck & Co.'s withdrawn painkiller, did not rule on the possibility of separate class-actions suits for each state and the District of Columbia.

[SmithL]

Fallon, Eldon E.

Born 1939 in New Orleans, LA

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
Nominated by William J. Clinton on February 3, 1995, to a seat vacated by Adrian Guy Duplantier; Confirmed by the Senate on May 8, 1995, and received commission on May 10, 1995.

Education:
Tulane University, B.A., 1959

Louisiana State University Law School, J.D., 1962

Yale Law School, LL.M., 1963

Professional Career:
Private practice, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1962-1995
Adjunct professor, Tulane Law School, 1975-1993

Race or Ethnicity: White

Gender: Male

[jdm]

Judge: No Federal Class in Vioxx Cases

Thank goodness. I almost had a coronary.

[FormerACLUmember]

Amazing. A Clinton/Carter judge who is not corrupt! How did he slip through the democrat party vetting?

[traviskicks]

I bet the lawyers are upset, then again, maybe not, they'll still get theirs anway.

[SmithL]

John Edwards is deeply disturbed.

[Always Right]

I bet the lawyers are upset, then again, maybe not, they'll still get theirs anway.

Probably not. Instead of one big class action case, there will be 50 smaller ones. Oh there will be plenty of money for the bottom feeders.

[Youngman442002]

now the lawyers will have to find 1000's of jury's that will give them big rewards...and will have to work each one...it will take time and money...as it should...trial lawyers suck...lower than whale dung

[Wormwood]

So are we all assuming that Merck is not liable?

[gusopol3]

verdicts are running about 50-50 so far with the trend to the defense.

[Trajan88]

The "silk pony" cannot be too happy about this...