M.C. v. Pactiv Corporation, et al (Lead Case)MOTION to Dismiss ClaimsM.D. Ala.March 6, 2007\ IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA NORTHERN DIVISION GAIL BEDSOLE TATUM as Mother and Administratrix of the Estate of MELANIE CHAMBERS, a Deceased Minor Child, Plaintiff v. PACTIV CORPORATION and LOUISIANA-PACIFIC CORPORATION Defendants. ) ) ) ) ) ) Civil Action No. ) 2:06-cv-00083-LES-CSC ) (Lead Case) ) ) ) ) DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS CLAIMS BY PLAINTIFFS WHO DID NOT RESPOND TO THE COURT’S JANUARY 8, 2007 ORDER In response to this Court’s Order dated January 8, 2007 (docket no. 182), Plaintiffs filed a notice of “Compliance with Court’s Order” (docket no. 204-1) on March 2, 2007. This notice acknowledges that the list of approximately 474 individual Plaintiffs on “Attachment A” thereto (docket no. 204-2) did not provide timely responses to the Court’s Order. The Court’s Order provides that any Plaintiff failing to provide a timely response “shall be subject to sanctions, including dismissal of his or her claims with prejudice.” See Order, p. 4. Defendants therefore move the Court to dismiss with prejudice the claims of each Plaintiff listed on Attachment A to Plaintiffs’ “Compliance with Court’s Order,” which is incorporated by reference as if set forth fully herein. Defendants further note that the form Plaintiffs used to respond to the Court’s Order varies significantly from the Order’s requirements. In particular, Part 2 of the Court’s Order expressly requires each Plaintiff to set forth “each injury, illness, or condition that the subject plaintiff claims was suffered as a result of the exposure to Case 2:06-cv-00083-LES-CSC Document 205 Filed 03/06/2007 Page 1 of 5 2 materials or substances emanating from defendants’ operations.” Part 2(b) then requires the disclosure of “the date on which plaintiff claims each such illness, injury, or condition was first suffered by the subject plaintiff, minor, or decedent.” Id. For reasons that remain unclear, Plaintiffs’ standard form instead asks for “the date on which the illness or disease causing death was first suffered (diagnosed) by the plaintiff, decedent, or minor.” Defendants are assessing the impact of this clear divergence, and may file additional motions on this issue. Defendants’ review of the Plaintiffs’ individual responses is continuing. Defendants intend to seek sanctions to the extent any individual responses fail to provide the information required by the Court’s Order. Case 2:06-cv-00083-LES-CSC Document 205 Filed 03/06/2007 Page 2 of 5 \ Respectfully submitted this 6 th day of March, 2007. /s/Bernard Taylor Bernard Taylor (admitted pro hac vice) Douglas S. Arnold (admitted pro hac vice) Orlyn O. Lockard, III (admitted pro hac vice) Counsel for Defendant Louisiana-Pacific Corporation OF COUNSEL: ALSTON & BIRD LLP One Atlantic Center 1201 West Peachtree Street, N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Tel: (404) 881-7000 Fax: (404) 881-7777 bernard.taylor@alston.com doug.arnold@alston.com skip.lockard@alston.com ADDITIONAL COUNSEL: Dennis R. Bailey ASB No. 4845-I71D R. Austin Huffaker ASB NO. 3422-F55R RUSHTON, STAKELY, JOHNSON, & GARRETT, P.A. 184 Commerce Street Post Office Box 270 Montgomery, AL 36101 Tel: (334) 206-3100 Fax: (334) 262-6277 drb@rsjg.com (Bailey) rah2@rsjg.com (Huffaker) Laura Proctor ASB 1504-R54L Associate General Counsel Louisiana-Pacific Corporation 414 Union Street North, Suite 2000 Nashville, Tennessee 37219 Tel: (615) 986-5878 Fax: 1-866-741-5091 laura.proctor@lpcorp.com Case 2:06-cv-00083-LES-CSC Document 205 Filed 03/06/2007 Page 3 of 5 4 /s/ John C. Berghoff, Jr. John C. Berghoff, Jr. (admitted pro hac vice) Mark R. Ter Molen (admitted pro hac vice) Matthew C. Sostrin (admitted pro hac vice) MAYER, BROWN, ROWE & MAW LLP 71 South Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606 Tel: (312) 782-0600 Fax: (312) 701-7711 jberghoff@mayerbrownrowe.com mtermolen@mayerbrownrowe.com msostrin@mayerbrownrowe.com Counsel for Defendant Pactiv Corporation H. Thomas Wells, Jr. Alabama Bar No. WEL004 John A. Earnhardt Alabama Bar No. EAR006 E. Bryan Nichols Alabama Bar No. NIC036 MAYNARD, COOPER & GALE, P.C. 1901 Sixth Avenue North 2400 AmSouth/Harbert Plaza Birmingham, AL 35203 Tel: (205) 254-1000 Fax: (205) 254-1999 twells@maynardcooper.com jearnhardt@maynardcooper.com bnichols@maynardcooper.com Additional counsel for Defendant Pactiv Corporation Case 2:06-cv-00083-LES-CSC Document 205 Filed 03/06/2007 Page 4 of 5 5 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on this 6 th day of March, 2007, I filed the foregoing via the CM/ECF system which will send notice of said filing to the following: W. Eason Mitchell Gregory A. Cade Fred R. DeLeon W. Lee Gresham, III Robert Leslie Palmer Mark R. TerMolen John C. Berghoff, Jr. Matthew C. Sostrin John A. Earnhardt H. Thomas Wells, Jr. Richard Elder Crum /s/ Orlyn O. Lockard, III Of Counsel Case 2:06-cv-00083-LES-CSC Document 205 Filed 03/06/2007 Page 5 of 5
