Camp Lejeune Water Litigation v. United States: A Legal Update
Significant legal proceeding is underway in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, under the case number 7:23-cv-00897. This case, known as Camp Lejeune Water Litigation v. United States, involves complex matters pertaining to water litigation.
Status Report and Document Details
The document was filed on August 18th, 2023, and provides a comprehensive status update. Below is a summary of the key points covered.
Plaintiffs' Leadership Group's Report and Status Update
The Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group has respectfully provided the Court and the public with a detailed Report and Status Update.
1. **Leadership Committee Selection:** The Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee and Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee members have been selected, with prominent law firms and lawyers taking part in this complex litigation.
2. **Progress on Science and Experts:** The Science and Experts Subcommittee met for extensive discussions, focusing on the core scientific aspects of this litigation. Other subcommittees have also begun their respective tasks.
3. **Case Management:** A Proposed Initial Case Management Order is being negotiated, aiming for finalization on or before August 28, 2023.
4. **Complaints and Proposals:** The Proposed Short Form Complaint and Proposed Master Complaint are nearing completion.
5. **Public Engagement:** A public-facing website is planned to be launched by August 25, 2023, to keep the public informed.
6. **Other Motions and Plans:** The Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group has filed several motions and intends to continue filing regular Reports and Status Updates.
Conclusion
The Camp Lejeune Water Litigation v. United States case is moving forward with deliberate and systematic progress. The selection of committees, ongoing negotiations, and a transparent approach to public information are indicative of a comprehensive legal process. Stay tuned for further updates on this essential litigation.
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67266149/14/camp-lejeune-water-litigation-v-united-states/
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHERN DIVISION
Case No. 7:23-cv-897
IN RE: )
)
CAMP LEJEUNE WATER LITIGATION )
) PLAINTIFFS’ LEADERSHIP GROUP’S
This Document Relates To: ) REPORT AND STATUS UPDATE
ALL CASES )
)
Plaintiffs’ Lead and Co-Lead Counsel (“Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group”) respectfully
provide this Honorable Court and the public with the following Report and Status Update.
(1) As required by this Court’s July 19, 2023, Order (DE 10), Plaintiffs’ Leadership
Group convened, deliberated, and selected the members of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee
(“PEC”) and Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee (“PSC”).
(2) Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group presented to the Court the list of PEC and PSC
members by letter dated July 27, 2023. The members of the PEC and PSC are as follows:
Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee
Aimee Wagstaff, Wagstaff Law Firm
John Bash, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP
Brian Barr, Levin Papantonio Rafferty Proctor Buchanan O'Brien Barr Mougey, P.A.
Jayne Conroy, Simmons Hanley Conroy
Kevin Dean, Motley Rice
Lynwood Evans, Ward & Smith
Rhon Jones, Beasley Allen
Howard Nations, The Nations Law Firm
Jim Onder, Onder Law
John Romano, Romano Law Group
Patrick Wallace, Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman
Jay Ward, McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips
Robert Kinsman, Krause and Kinsman Law Firm
Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 14 Filed 08/18/23 Page 1 of 4
Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee
Elliot Abrams, Cheshire Parker Schneider, PLLC
Janet Ward Black, Ward Black Law
David Kirby, Edwards Kirby
Gary Jackson, James Scott Farrin
Stacey Miller, Miller Law Group, PLLC
Scott Overholt, Overholt Law Firm PC
Adam Pulaski, Pulaski Kherkher, PLLC
Roopal Luhana, Chaffin Luhana, LLP
Alejandro Blanco, The Blanco Law Firm
Greg Cade, Environmental Law Group
Grant Davis, Davis, Bethune & Jones LLC
Mark Mandell, Mandell Boisclair & Mandel Ltd.
David A. Wenner, Snyder & Wenner, P.C
Joseph Anderson, Pangia Law Group
(3) Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group convened, deliberated, and organized the members of
Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group and those attorneys in the PEC and PSC into the various
Subcommittees required by this Court’s July 19, 2023 Order (DE 10).
(4) The Science and Experts Subcommittee met in person over two days on August 16
and August 17, 2023, and made extensive progress towards discussing the science that lies at the
core of this litigation and the retention of necessary experts. The Discovery & ESI Subcommittee
also met in-person and has begun inventorying relevant documents and data for use in this
litigation. Other Subcommittees have met virtually and made substantial progress toward defining
their respective tasks and objectives, and have begun executing on those.
(5) Government Liaison Counsel and other members of Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group
have exchanged with government counsel drafts of a Proposed Initial Case Management Order.
They also convened a full-day meeting in Washington, DC, on August 15, 2023, to further
negotiate the terms of that Proposed Order. Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group will file a Proposed Initial
Case Management Order on or before August 28, 2023, as indicated in the previous status update.
2
Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 14 Filed 08/18/23 Page 2 of 4
(6) Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group and government counsel have discussed components
of the Proposed Short Form Complaint and a final draft is nearly complete. The Proposed Master
Complaint is also near completion.
(7) Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group plan to launch a public-facing website, as ordered by
the Court, by August 25, 2023, to keep the public apprised of the status of this litigation.
(8) Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group intends to move for the entry of a proposed Common
Benefit Order once the Proposed Initial Case Management Order is entered.
(9) A motion to reconsider (DE 13) this Court’s July 19, 2023 Case Management Order
appointing Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group has been filed by a law firm out of South Carolina.
Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group will be filing an opposition to the motion by August 28, 2023.
(10) It is the intention of Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group to file regular Reports and Status
Updates, to keep the Court, counsel, Plaintiffs, and the public informed. Plaintiffs’ Leadership
Group intends to post these reports and other publicly filed information on the website that the
Court has directed Plaintiffs’ Leadership Group to establish and maintain for this purpose.
Respectfully submitted, this 18th day of August, 2023.
/s/ J. Edward Bell, III /s/ Zina Bash
J. Edward Bell, III (admitted pro hac vice) Zina Bash (admitted pro hac vice)
Bell Legal Group, LLC Keller Postman LLC
219 Ridge St. 111 Congress Avenue
Georgetown, SC 29440 Suite 500
Telephone: (843) 546-2408 Austin, TX 78701
jeb@belllegalgroup.com Telephone: 956-345-9462
Lead Counsel zina.bash@kellerpostman.com
Co-Lead Counsel and Government Liaison
/s/ Elizabeth J. Cabraser /s/ W. Michael Dowling
Elizabeth J. Cabraser (admitted pro hac W. Michael Dowling (NC Bar No. 42790)
vice) The Dowling Firm PLLC
Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP Post Office Box 27843
275 Battery Street, 29th Floor Raleigh, North Carolina 27611
3
Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 14 Filed 08/18/23 Page 3 of 4
San Francisco, CA 94111 Telephone: (919) 529-3351
Telephone: (415) 956-1000 Fax: (919) 529-3351
Fax: (415) 956-1008 mike@dowlingfirm.com
ecabraser@lchb.com Co-Lead Counsel
Co-Lead Counsel
/s/ Robin Greenwald /s/ James A. Roberts, III
Robin L. Greenwald (admitted pro hac James A. Roberts, III (N.C. Bar No.:
vice) 10495)
Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. Lewis & Roberts, PLLC
700 Broadway 3700 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 410
New York, NY 10003 P. O. Box 17529
Telephone: 212-558-5802 Raleigh, NC 27619-7529
rgreenwald@weitzlux.com Telephone: (919) 981-0191
Co-Lead Counsel Fax: (919) 981-0199
jar@lewis-roberts.com
Co-Lead Counsel
/s/ Mona Lisa Wallace
Mona Lisa Wallace (N.C. Bar No.: 009021)
Wallace & Graham, P.A.
525 North Main Street
Salisbury, North Carolina 28144
Tel: 704-633-5244
Fax: 704-633-9434
Co-Lead Counsel
/s/ Hugh R. Overholt /s/ A. Charles Ellis
Hugh R. Overholt (NC Bar No. 016301) A. Charles Ellis (N.C. Bar No.: 010865)
Ward and Smith P.A. Ward and Smith P.A.
Post Office Box 867 Post Office Box 8088
New Bern, NC 28563-0867 Greenville, NC 27835-8088
Telephone: (252) 672-5400 Telephone: (252) 215-4000
hro@wardandsmith.com ace@wardandsmith.com
Liaison Counsel Liaison Counsel
