About
This Multidistrict Litigation ("MDL") was created by Order of the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ("MDL Panel") on April 17, 2012. The typical case involves claims by a plaintiff from anywhere in the United States against defendant Pfizer, Inc., and may name other defendants as well.
In its April 17, 2012 Order, the MDL Panel found that the actions in this MDL "involve common questions of fact, and that centralization in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote the just and efficient conduct of the litigation."
The MDL Panel noted that the actions "involve allegations that Zoloft, a prescription medication approved for the treatment of depression and other ailments, causes birth defects in children when their mothers ingest the drug while pregnant." Pfizer and the other defendants deny these allegations. The Panel further found that "[c]entralization will eliminate duplicative discovery; prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings; and conserve the resources of the parties, their counsel and the judiciary."
Notices
Deposition Notices
Deposition notices are part of the discovery process, where the parties seek to obtain information from each other; in a deposition, the person deposed will answer under oath questions posed by the attorneys. The notices posted below are not filed of record, do not constitute part of the official court docket, and are posted solely as a convenience to the parties and for the reader's information.
11/15/2012 - Plaintiffs' Notice of Taking Videotaped Deposition of Pfizer, Inc.'s and Greenstone LLC's Person(s) Most Knowledgeable Pursuant to F.R.C.P. 30(b)(6)
12/21/2012 - Plaintiffs' Notice of Taking Videotaped Deposition of Defendant Greenstone LLC Pursuant to F.R.C.P. 30(b)(6)
Contacts
Presiding Judge: The Honorable Cynthia M. Rufe
Please Read Judge Rufe's Policies and Procedures before contacting her chambers.
Secretary/Civil Deputy: Velma T. White
Courtroom Deputy: Erica Pratt
United States District Court
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Courtroom 12A
James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse
601 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Telephone: (267) 299-7490
Fax: (267) 299-5077
Plaintiffs' Liaison Counsel: Stephen A. Corr, Esq.
Begley, Carlin & Mandio, L.L.P.
Langhorne, PA 19047
Telephone: (215) 750-0110
Fax: (215) 750-0954
E-mail: Scorr@begleycarlin.com
Defendants' Lead and Liaison Counsel: Mark S. Cheffo, Esq.
Quinn, Emanuel, Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
51 Madison Ave.
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10010
Telephone: (212) 849-7000
Plaintiffs' Steering Committee Co-Lead Counsel:
Dianne M. Nast, Esq.
NastLaw LLC
1101 Market Street
Suite 2801
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Telephone: (215) 923-9300
Fax: (215) 923-9302
Mark P. Robinson, Jr., Esq.
Robinson Calcagnie Robinson Shapiro Davis, Inc.
19 Corporate Plaza Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Telephone: (949) 720-1288
Fax: (949) 720-1292
Transcripts and Audio
Hearing Transcripts
Pursuant to the policy of the Judicial Conference of the United States, transcripts of proceedings in MDL 2342, In Re: Zoloft will be placed on CM/ECF or PACER, unless the presiding judge otherwise directs, and will be made available to the public upon approval as follows:
- A transcript provided to the Court by a court reporter or transcriber will be available at the Office of the Clerk of Court for inspection for a period of 90 days after it is delivered to the Clerk.
- During the 90-day period, a copy of the transcript may also be obtained by purchase from the court reporter or transcriber through the Office of the Clerk of Court. An attorney who obtains the transcript from the Office of the Clerk of Court will be allowed remote electronic access to the transcript through the Court's CM/ECF system.
- After the 90-day period has expired, the filed transcript will be available for inspection and copying in the Office of the Clerk of Court and for download from the Court's CM/ECF system through the PACER system.
Please see the FAQs for additional information concerning transcripts.