{"id":18614,"date":"2023-12-12T19:50:24","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T19:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/?p=18614"},"modified":"2023-12-26T21:02:47","modified_gmt":"2023-12-26T21:02:47","slug":"camp-lejeune-water-litigation-under-way-as-court-orders-case-management-order-no-2-on-sep-26th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/camp-lejeune-water-litigation-under-way-as-court-orders-case-management-order-no-2-on-sep-26th\/","title":{"rendered":"Camp Lejeune Water Litigation Under Way as Court Orders Case Management Order No. 2 on Sep. 26th"},"content":{"rendered":"
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT\r\n                    FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA\r\n                                 SOUTHERN DIVISION\r\n                                    No. 7:23-CV-897\r\n\r\n\r\nINRE:                                                )\r\n                                                     )     PDF File: gov.uscourts.nced.201345.23.0_1<\/a>\r\nCAMP LEJEUNE WATER<\/a> LITIGATION                         )             \r\n                                                     )\r\n\r\n\r\n        Pursuant to this Court's inherent powers and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 1, 16(c)(2)(L),\r\n\r\nand 42(a)(3), the Court appointed Plaintiffs' Lead Counsel and Co-Lead Counsel (collectively,\r\n\r\n\"Plaintiffs' Leadership\") to fairly, effectively, and efficiently represent the interests of all Plaintiffs\r\n\r\nand to work collaboratively with counsel for Defendant, the United States. See [D.E. 10]. The Court\r\n\r\nenters this Order pursuant to the same inherent powers and Rules.\r\n\r\nI. Preamble\r\n\r\n        The Court expects professionalism, courtesy, and civility throughout this litigation. Federal\r\n\r\ncourts possess certain \"inherent powers,\" not conferred by statute or rule, ''to manage their own\r\n\r\naffairs so as to achieve the orderly and expeditious disposition of cases.\" Link v. Wabash R.R., 370\r\n\r\nU.S. 626, 630-31 (1962). Rule 1 provides that the rules \"should be construed, administered, and\r\n\r\nemployed by the court and the parties to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of\r\n\r\nevery action and proceeding.\" Fed. R. Civ. P. 1. Rule 16(c)(2)(L) authorizes the Court to \"adopt\u25a1\r\n\r\nspecial proceedings for managing potentially difficult or protracted actions that may involve complex\r\n\r\nissues, multiple parties, difficult legal questions, or unusual proof problems.\" Fed. R. Civ. P.\r\n\r\n16(c)(2)(L). Rule 42(a) provides that \"[i]f actions before the court involve a common question of\r\n\r\nlaw or fact, the court may: (1) join for hearing or trial any or all matters at issue in the actions; (2)\r\n\r\nconsolidate the actions; or (3) issue any other orders to avoid unnecessary cost or delay.\" Fed. R.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n         Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 1 of 18\r\n\fCiv. P. 42(a). The numerous Camp Lejeune Justice Act<\/a> (\"CLJA\") actions filed in this Court\r\n\r\n\"involve common question[s] of law or fact.\" Id. Accordingly, this Court has authority to adopt\r\n\r\n\"other [case management] orders to avoid unnecessary cost or delay.\" Id. In adopting the procedures\r\n\r\nin this Order, the Court draws by analogy, in part, on the procedures recommended for multidistrict\r\n\r\nlitigation in the Manual for Complex Litigation Fourth (hereinafter \"MCL 4th\").\r\n\r\nII. Applicability of Order\r\n\r\n       This Order shall govern the practice and procedure in the individual CLJA actions filed in\r\n\r\nthis Court.\r\n\r\nm. Rights and Privileges Preserved\r\n       \"Judicial involvement in complex litigation does not lessen the duties and responsibilities\r\n\r\nof the attorneys. To the contrary, complex litigation places greater demands on counsel in their dual\r\n\r\nroles as advocates and officers ofthe court. The complexity oflegal and factual issues makes judges\r\n\r\nespecially dependent on the assistance of counsel.\" MCL 4th, supril, \u00a7 10.21.\r\n\r\n       Cooperation by and among Plaintiffs' counsel is essential for expeditiously resolving this\r\n\r\nlitigation. The communication of information among Plaintiffs' counsel shall not be deemed a\r\n\r\nwaiver of the attorney-client privilege or the attorney work product doctrine, if the privilege or\r\n\r\ndoctrine otherwise applies. This Order does not limit the rights of any Party or counsel to assert the\r\n\r\nattorney-client privilege or attorney work product doctrine. This Order also does not expand or\r\n\r\ncreate a protection or privilege that a Party does not otherwise already possess.\r\n\r\nIV. Pretrial Coordination\r\n\r\n       Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42(a), the Court may determine common questions\r\n\r\nof fact and law for CLJA actions filed in this Court, whether filed before today or after today.\r\n\r\nDetermining common questions of fact or law shall not operate to deny any Party the opportunity\r\n\r\n                                                  2\r\n\r\n         Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 2 of 18\r\n\fto raise nonrepetitive issues that uniquely affect each Party in individual CLJA actions.\r\n\r\nA. Master Docket and File\r\n\r\n        The Clerk will continue to maintain a Master Docket case file under the style \"In re Camp\r\n\r\nLejeune Water Litigation\" and the identification ''No. 7:23-CV-897.\" Only Plaintiffs' Leadership\r\n\r\nand the United States are permitted to file in the Master Docket. All orders, pleadings, motions,\r\n\r\nnotices, and other documents will, when filed and docketed in the Master Docket case file, be\r\n\r\ndeemed filed and docketed in each individual CLJA action that is on file when applicable.\r\n\r\nB. Individual Dockets\r\n\r\n       Each individual Plaintiff's action shall maintain its own individual docket and remain\r\n\r\nassigned to a single Judge of this District. Each Judge assigned to actions on an individual docket\r\n\r\nshall retain the inherent power_to manage such actions, subject to determinations made on the Master\r\n\r\nDocket.\r\n\r\nC. Captions and Separate Filings\r\n\r\n       Orders, pleadings, motions, notices, and other documents filed in the Master Docket case file\r\n\r\nwill bear a caption similar to that of this Order. If generally applicable to all actions, the document\r\n\r\nshall be filed and docketed only in the Master Docket case file, with notation in the caption the\r\n\r\ndocument relates to \"ALL CASES.\" Documents that are intended to apply only to a particular action\r\n\r\nor group of actions (for example, actions set for trial) but that are nonetheless appropriately filed on\r\n\r\nthe Master Docket (see Part VII, infra) will indicate in the caption the case number(s) of the case(s)\r\n\r\nto which they apply by the words \"This document relates to: [individual case(s), group of cases, as\r\n\r\nidentified by this Court's case number(s)].\" A Party should file documents of this nature both in the\r\n\r\nMaster Docket case file and the specified individual case files.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                   3\r\n\r\n          Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 3 of 18\r\n\fD. Stay\r\n\r\n        Except as provided otherwise in this Order, all CLJA actions on individual dockets are stayed\r\n\r\npending selection of Plaintiffs for discovery and trial and further orders of this Court. See Link, 370\r\n\r\nU.S. at 630-31; Landis v. N. Am. Co., 299 U.S. 248, 254-56 (1936). Counsel for Defendant need\r\n\r\nnot file Notices of Appearance or responsive pleadings in stayed individual CLJA actions, subject\r\n\r\nto further Order of the Court.\r\n\r\nV. Regular Status Conferences\r\n\r\n        The Court will hold regular status conferences. The first status conference shall be held on\r\n\r\na date amenable to the Court. In addition, each undersigned Judge also may hold additional status\r\n\r\nconferences as needed for individual CLJA actions.\r\n\r\n       Lead Counsel, the Government Liaison, Co-Lead Counsel, Liaison Counsel, or their\r\n\r\ndesignees, and counsel for Defendant will be designated and appear in person both to argue motions\r\n\r\nand actively participate in status conferences. Plaintiffs' Lead Counsel, the Government Liaison,\r\n\r\nCo-Lead Counsel, and Liaison Counsel may attend any status conference, hearing, or other\r\n\r\nproceeding in this litigation, even if not designated to argue a particular motion or issue.\r\n\r\n       Except for the first status conference, Lead Counsel, the Government Liaison, or their\r\n\r\ndesignees must meet and confer with counsel for Defendant before each status conference. They\r\n\r\nmust then submit a joint status report five business days before the status conference. This joint\r\n\r\nstatus report shall be filed via ECF. It may include any items or issues that may be the subject of\r\n\r\npretrial conferences under Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(c)(2) and should include: (i) an update on the number\r\n\r\nof CLJA actions filed in the District; (ii) an update on the stipulations entered into between the\r\n\r\nParties since the last status conference; (iii) a ~ummary of the discovery conducted since the last\r\n\r\nstatus conference; and (iv) any other issues that the Parties wish to raise with the Court. Ifthe Parties\r\n\r\n                                                   4\r\n\r\n          Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 4 of 18\r\n\fhave differing views on issues raised with the Court, each Party should state their respective\r\n\r\npositions on each issue in the report.\r\n\r\nVI. Master and Short Form Complaints and Defendant's Answer\r\n\r\n       The Court orders Plaintiffs' Leadership to file a Master Complaint no later than ten days after\r\n\r\nthe date of this Order. The Master Complaint will contain allegations that are suitable for adoption\r\n\r\nby reference in individual CLJA actions. All individual Plaintiffs who wish to pursue their CLJA\r\n\r\naction in accordance with this Order (including the Discovery and Trial Plan in section XI of this\r\n\r\nOrder) shall use the Short Form Complaint to pursue their CLJA actions. This process will allow\r\n\r\nthe Parties to assess which portions of the Master Complaint apply in each individual CLJA action.\r\n\r\nIndividual Plaintiff-specific information to be included in the Short Form Complaint is attached to\r\n\r\nthis Order, which has been negotiated between Plaintiffs' Lead Counsel and counsel for Defendant\r\n\r\nto assist in assessing the Discovery Plaintiff pool (see Part XI.A, infra). Any Plaintiff who filed a\r\n\r\nComplaint in this Court before the filing of the Master Complaint and who wishes to pursue their\r\n\r\nCUA action in accordance with this Order (including the Discovery and Trial Plan in section XI of\r\n\r\nthis Order) shall file a Short Form Complaint in the Plaintiff's individual docket within 45 days of\r\n\r\nthis Order. The stay referenced in section IV.D ofthis Order shall remain operative for any Plaintiff\r\n\r\nwho decides not to file a Short Form Complaint.\r\n\r\n       A Plaintiff may file the Short Form Complaint without a JS 44 civil cover sheet and without\r\n\r\nthe disclosure form ordinarily required by Local Civil Rule 7.3(a). By filing a Short Form\r\n\r\nComplaint, Plaintiff's counsel is deemed to have appeared and submitted to the jurisdiction of this\r\n\r\nCourt. For efficiency, Plaintiff's counsel are required to file a Notice of Appearance or Notice of\r\n\r\nSpecial Appearance only in counsel's first filing. Similarly, Plaintiff's counsel not admitted to\r\n\r\npractice before this Court are required to file the pro hac vice motion attached to the Court's April\r\n\r\n                                                 5\r\n\r\n         Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 5 of 18\r\n\f24, 2023 order only once. These lawyers will be deemed admitted pro hac vice in all subsequent\r\n\r\nCLJA actions provided they follow ordinary procedures to pay the CLJA pro hac vice fee in each\r\n\r\naction.\r\n\r\n          Notwithstanding any Local Civil Rule to the contrary, all Short Form Complaints shall be\r\n\r\nfiled in the Southern Division of this District.\r\n\r\n          Defendant shall file a Responsive Pleading to the Master Complaint within 45 days of the\r\n\r\nfiling of the Master Complaint. Defendant is not obligated to answer the allegations in the Short\r\n\r\nForm Complaints. In any individual CLJA action filed by a Discovery Plaintiff in which Defendant\r\n\r\nintends to assert an affirmative defense that is not already identified in Defendant's Responsive\r\n\r\nPleading to the Master Complaint, Defendant shall provide notice of such affirmative defense to\r\n\r\nPlaintiffs' Leadership in a timely manner so as not to prejudice the Plaintiff.\r\n\r\nVII. Motions Practice\r\n\r\n          All motions that are pending in any CLJA actions, except those motions seeking preservation\r\n\r\nof evidence under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 27, are DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE and\r\n\r\nwith leave to refile in accordance with the procedures of this Order. Motions raising global issues\r\n\r\nin the CLJA litigation may be filed by Plaintiffs' Leadership or counsel for Defendant in the Master\r\n\r\nDocket after counsel have met and conferred regarding the motion.\r\n\r\n          No Plaintiff, including pro se Plaintiffs, will file motions or discovery in any CLJA action,\r\n\r\nexcept with permission from Plaintiffs' Leadership or leave of Court for good cause shown.\r\n\r\nProvided leave of Court or permission from Plaintiffs' Leadership is obtained, non-repetitive\r\n\r\npositions that uniquely affect an individual Plaintiff shall not be filed in the Master Docket but shall\r\n\r\ninstead be filed in the Plaintiff's individual CLJA action.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                    6\r\n\r\n           Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 6 of 18\r\n\fVIII. Pretrial Orden\r\n\r\n       Within 15 days of this Order, Plaintiffs' Leadership and counsel for Defendant will provide\r\n\r\nto the Court proposed pretrial orders for the following issues: (1) a Preservation Deposition Order;\r\n\r\n(2) a Deposition Protocol Order; (3) a Protective Order for Protection ofPrivileged Information; and\r\n\r\n(4) a Protective Order for Protection of Confidential Information. Within 30 days of this Order,\r\n\r\nPlaintiffs' Leadership and counsel for Defendant will provide to the Court a proposed pretrial\r\n\r\nElectronic Discovery Order. If the Parties cannot reach agreement on any of the orders, each party\r\n\r\nmust submit proposed competing orders along with supporting memoranda of no more than ten\r\n\r\ndouble-spaced pages.\r\n\r\nIX. Stipulations\r\n\r\n       Stipulations regarding certain issues will streamline the discovery process<\/a> and the overall\r\n\r\nefficiency of the CLJA litigation, including but not limited to stipulations regarding the findings of\r\n\r\nscientific and environmental studies and the authenticity of government records and medical records.\r\n\r\nTo this end, the Court orders the Lead Counsel, the Government Liaison, or their designees to meet\r\n\r\nand confer with counsel for Defendant at least on a monthly basis regarding stipulations and to report\r\n\r\nthe progress on stipulations at each status conference to the Court.\r\n\r\nX. Self-Authentication and Admissibility of Certain Records\r\n\r\n       All government records, documents, data, and studies (including, but not limited to, those\r\n\r\nwithin the custody and control of Defendant or any government agencies, hospitals, departments, or\r\n\r\nother similar entity) are self-authenticating and admissible, subject to relevance and Federal Rule of\r\n\r\nEvidence 403, absent a specific dispute concerning authenticity or admissibility and including a\r\n\r\nnotice of such dispute before the close of fact discovery.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                  7\r\n\r\n         Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 7 of 18\r\n\f        Any medical records from an individual Plaintiff's private health care providers are self-\r\n\r\nauthenticating and admissible, subject to relevance and Federal Rule of Evidence 403, absent a\r\n\r\nspecific dispute concerning authenticity or admissibility and including a notice ofsuch dispute before\r\n\r\nthe close of fact discovery.\r\n\r\nXI. Discovery and Trial Plan\r\n\r\n        The Court expects the Parties to conduct discovery efficiently. The Court recognizes the\r\n\r\nsignificant burden created by the number of CLJA actions already filed, the anticipated additional\r\n\r\nfilings, and the costs that Plaintiffs' Leadership must advance to fulfill its responsibilities. The Court\r\n\r\nalso recognizes that there are issues common to all CLJA Plaintiffs, and Plaintiffs' Leadership is\r\n\r\npermitted to engage in general discovery upon entry of this Order.\r\n\r\n        Staging discovery and trials by ''tracks\" of illnesses is the most efficient way to advance the\r\n\r\nCLJA litigation and support a global resolution of CLJA claims. The staging approach in this Order\r\n\r\ncomports with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court's inherent powers. See, ~ '\r\n\r\nLink, 370 U.S. at 630-31; Fed. R. Civ. P. 1, 16(c)(2){L), 42(a)(3). The staging approach also\r\n\r\nrecognizes that this Court has four United States District Judges and a heavy docket of CLJA and\r\n\r\nnon-CLJA actions.\r\n\r\nA. Procedures for Track 1 Illnesses\r\n\r\n        i.       The Discovery Pool for Track 1 shall be composed of CLJA actions in which the\r\n\r\n                 Plaintiffs allege that they contracted: (1) bladder cancer, (2) kidney cancer, (3)\r\n\r\n                 leukemia, (4) Parkinson's disease, or (5) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma<\/a> as a result of\r\n\r\n                 exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune. The selection of these actions does not\r\n\r\n                 reflect any assessment of the merits of these or other CLJA actions. Rather, the\r\n\r\n                 selection focuses on illnesses for which early trials may help to promote early\r\n\r\n                                                    8\r\n\r\n             Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 8 of 18\r\n\f       resolution for common illnesses.\r\n\r\nii.    Discovery Pool Eligibility:\r\n\r\n       a.     To be eligible for selection in the Track 1 Discovery Pool, a Plaintiff: (1)\r\n\r\n              must have filed his or her Short Form complaint within 30 days of the filing\r\n\r\n              of the Master Complaint; and (2) not opted out of the Discovery Pool as\r\n\r\n              discussed below.\r\n\r\n       b.     Plaintiffs' Leadership is responsible for overseeing and directing the\r\n\r\n              discovery and trials of Plaintiffs who are selected for early discovery and trial\r\n\r\n              pursuant to this Order. If any Plaintiff chooses not to proceed in a manner\r\n\r\n              consistent with this Order, such individual Plaintiffs may remove themselves\r\n\r\n              from consideration of selection into the Discovery Pool by notifying\r\n\r\n              Plaintiffs' Leadership and counsel for the United States within 30 days of the\r\n\r\n              filing of the Master Complaint.\r\n\r\niii.   Selection of Track 1 Discovery Plaintiffs\r\n\r\n       a.     Within 60 days of the filing of the Master Complaint, for each illness listed\r\n\r\n              in subsectionXI.A.i, Plaintiffs' Leadership and Defendant will each select ten\r\n\r\n              Plaintiffs to be included in the Discovery Pool. If fewer than 20 Plaintiffs for\r\n\r\n              an individual illness are eligible for selection, all Plaintiffs alleging that\r\n\r\n              illness shall be selected.\r\n\r\n       b.     The selected Plaintiffs in the Discovery Pool shall be designated as \"Track\r\n\r\n              1 Discovery Plaintiffs.\"\r\n\r\niv.    Track 1 Discovery\r\n\r\n       a.     Fact discovery in every Track 1 Discovery Plaintiff's action may begin upon\r\n\r\n                                           9\r\n\r\n  Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 9 of 18\r\n\f           selection of the Track 1 Discovery Plaintiffs.\r\n\r\n     b.    Within 30 days ofthe filing ofthe Master Complaint, the Parties shall submit\r\n\r\n           to the Court an agreed upon plan or competing proposals for a Discovery\r\n\r\n           Pool Profile Form, which shall streamline written discovery regarding the\r\n\r\n           Track 1 Discovery Plaintiffs.\r\n\r\n     c.    Each Track 1 Discovery Plaintiff shall complete the Discovery Pool Profile\r\n\r\n           Form within 45 days of it being finalized or their selection as a Track 1\r\n\r\n           Discovery Plaintiff, whichever is later.\r\n\r\n     d.   Absent a showing of good cause or agreement of the Parties, Defendant shall\r\n\r\n          be allowed to take no more than three fact depositions (in addition to treating\r\n\r\n          physicians) for any individual CLJA action. Absent a showing of good cause\r\n\r\n           or agreement of the Parties, Plaintiffs will be unable to depose a current or\r\n\r\n           former government employee more than one time.\r\n\r\n     e.    The parties will complete fact discovery within 90 days ofthe Track 1 Order.\r\n\r\n           Within 30 days of completion of fact discovery, Plaintiffs shall disclose their\r\n\r\n          expert witnesses<\/a>. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(2)(B) & (C). Within 30 days of\r\n\r\n          Plaintiffs' disclosure of their expert witnesses, Defendant shall disclose its\r\n\r\n           expert witnesses. See id. Within 15 days of Defendant's disclosure of their\r\n\r\n          expert witnesses, Plaintiffs shall disclose their rebuttal expert witnesses.\r\n\r\n           Within 45 days of Defendant's disclosure of its expert witnesses, expert\r\n\r\n           discovery will close.\r\n\r\n     f.    The Parties may take the deposition of any individual disclosed as an expert\r\n\r\n          witness.\r\n\r\n                                     10\r\n\r\nCase 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 10 of 18\r\n\f       g.    Absent agreement of the Parties or a subsequent Order of this Court,\r\n\r\n             depositions shall be conducted pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil\r\n\r\n             Procedure. The deposition of a witness may be used for any purpose\r\n\r\n             appropriate under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of\r\n\r\n             Evidence for any Discovery Plaintiff's action.\r\n\r\nv.    Motion Practice Specific to Track 1\r\n\r\n      a.     At the appropriate time, the Court and the Parties shall discuss the pretrial\r\n\r\n             schedule for submission of dispositive motions and for any other pretrial\r\n\r\n             motions or other matters regarding Track 1 Discovery Plaintiffs.\r\n\r\nvi.   Track 1 Trials\r\n\r\n      a.     At the appropriate time, the Court and the Parties shall discuss the selection\r\n\r\n             of a certain Track 1 Discovery Plaintiff or Plaintiffs for a Bellwether trial or\r\n\r\n             trials. The Parties should be prepared to commence trials for the Track 1\r\n\r\n             Discovery Plaintiffs in 2024.\r\n\r\n      b.     Each member of this Court will be responsible for scheduling procedures for\r\n\r\n             the trials in actions assigned to them.       Any decisions regarding trial\r\n\r\n             procedures, selection, structure, timing, or any other issues that are different\r\n\r\n             from or contrary to the provisions of this Order shall supersede this Order.\r\n\r\nB. Procedures for non-Track 1 Illnesses\r\n\r\ni.    To litigate efficiently the numerous CLJA actions that do not involve Track 1\r\n\r\n      illnesses, the Parties should be prepared to advance additional trial tracks promptly\r\n\r\n      after the selection of the Track 1 Discovery Pool. These additional Tracks shall\r\n\r\n      follow similar procedures to those governing Track 1. Within 60 days from the entry\r\n\r\n                                       11\r\n\r\n Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 11 of 18\r\n\f               ofthis Order, Lead Counsel, the Government Liaison, counsel for Defendant, or their\r\n\r\n               designees shall submit to the Court an agreed upon group or competing groups of\r\n\r\n               five additional illnesses for Track 2. This proposal also may suggest potential\r\n\r\n               revisions to the procedures governing Track 1.\r\n\r\n       ii.     Within 30 days after proposing Track 2 conditions, Lead Counsel, the Government\r\n\r\n               Liaison, counsel for Defendant, or their designees shall submit to the Court an agreed\r\n\r\n               upon group or competing groups of five additional illnesses for the purposes of Track\r\n\r\n               3.   This proposal also may suggest any potential revisions to the procedures\r\n\r\n               governing Track 1 or 2.\r\n\r\nC. Additional Discovery Tracks\r\n\r\n       At the appropriate time, the Court and the Parties shall discuss the establishment ofadditional\r\n\r\ndiscovery tracks for Plaintiffs not covered by Track 1, Track 2, or Track 3.\r\n\r\nD. Effect of Earlier Rulings\r\n\r\n       Each United States District Judge on this Court intends to apply the holdings in Track 1 cases\r\n\r\nand ensuing Track cases to other parties who litigate their CLJA actions after Track 1, unless the\r\n\r\nParty shows cause why the Court's holdings should not apply. See, e.g., Home Dw<>t USA, Inc.\r\n\r\nv. Lafarge N. Am., Inc., 59 F.4th 55, 66--68 (3d Cir. 2023).\r\n\r\nXII. Ongoing Procedures for Global Resolution\r\n\r\n       Discussions regarding a global resolution are imperative. Thus, the Parties shall meet and\r\n\r\nconfer regarding a process for global resolution and report status of those discussions to the Court\r\n\r\nwithin 30 days from the entry of this Order or the date on which the first Joint Status Report is due,\r\n\r\nwhichever is earlier.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                 12\r\n\r\n        Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 12 of 18\r\n\f        The Comt is considering the appointment of a Settlement Master. See Fed. R. Civ. P~\r\n\r\n S3(a)(l). The Parties may suggest candidates to the Comt for appointment ~ Fed. R. Civ. P.\r\n\r\n S3(b)(1). The Comt will discuss this topic at the first status conference.\r\n\r\n XID. Other Matten\r\n\r\n A. Common Benefit\r\n\r\n        The Administrative and Common Benefit Committee shall submit a proposed protocol within\r\n\r\n 30 days ofthis Order, estab1isbing rules and procedures beyond those contained in the Comt's Order\r\n\r\n appointing Plaintiffs' Leadership [D.E. 10] that govern eligibility, record-keeping, submission, and\r\n\r\n reimbursement of costs and fees incurred for the common benefit of all Plaintiffs~\r\n\r\n B. Litiptlon-Management Database\r\n\r\n        Plaintiffs' Leadership and counsel for Defendant sball meet and confer and propose to the\r\n\r\n Comt a litigation-management database within 60 days from the entry of this Order.\r\n\r\n C. Amendment of this Order\r\n\r\n        The Parties will meet and confer to recommend adjustments to this Case-Order\r\n\r\n should the Plaintiffs' Leadership Group or Defendant determine that it has caused prejudice to either\r\n\r\n party or that the Comt could improve the Case Management Order.\r\n\r\n        SO ORDERED. This '1~ day of Septanber, 2023.\r\n\r\n\r\n ;?~; { M1.vr J\r\n RICHARD E. MYERS Il\r\n                                                       ~!}\u00a5\r\n                                                       TERRENCE W. BOYLE\r\n Chief United States District Judge                    United States District Judge\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n~iw.nAN~\r\n   4.                                                  ic.DBVBRm\r\n United States District Judge                          Unit.ed States District Judge\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                  13\r\n\r\n        Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 13 of 18\r\n\f                            IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT\r\n                       FOR ';fHE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA\r\n                                     SOUTHERN DIVISION\r\n                                        No.\r\n                                                     -----\r\nIN RE: CAMP LEJEUNE\r\nWATER LITIGATION\r\n\r\n_______________\/\r\nTms DOCUMENT RELATES TO:                                                       JURY TRIAL DEMANDED\r\n\r\n\r\nPlaintiff'Fint      Middle         Last           Suffix\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                          SHORT-FORM COMPLAINT\r\n\r\n             The Plaintiff named below, or Plaintiff's representative, files\u00b7 this Short Form Complaint\r\n\r\nagainst Defendant United Sta~es of America under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act<\/a> of 2022\r\n\r\n(\"CLJA\"). Pub. L. No. 117--168, \u00a7 804, l36 Stat. 1802, 1802-04 (2022). Plaintiff or Plaintifrs\r\n                                                                                                                             l\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nrepresentative incorporates by reference the allegations contained in the Master Complaint (DE\r\n\r\n~ on file in the case styled In Re: Camp Lejeune Water<\/a> Litigation, Case No. 7:23-cv-897, in\r\n\r\nthe United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Plaintiff or Plaintiff's\r\n\r\nrepresentative\u00b7 files this Short-Fonn Complaint as permitted.by Pretrial Order No.                                 LJ.\r\n             Plaintiff or Plaintiff's representative alleges as follows:\r\n\r\n                                              I. INSTRUCTIONS\r\n\r\n  l. On THIS FORM, are you asserting a claim for :;Jlj!s.fomi:ni'-9:, ~~~f_be~                ~=~~~il~J1-~~-ac~~gi~tf!~(,.:\\r\u00b7\r\n  injuries to YOU or to SOMEONE ELSE you legally :O~ .PER.:~G>.~ f. ~--~l~JUn~s:r~fr .~.u~1}ltend;f~~~V~8\u00b7\u00b7\u00b7 \u2022\u2022. :;_.\r\n  represent?                                      i~lai~~ W(1t1~lti,1?~e indiv!~~,!.f }#1J.uri.~s:::\u00b7.:fg' ;~~~P~!~\r\n                                                                                                                  ;~\r\n  \u25a1 Tome                                                     ._a,cl~\u2022!Il.(C?!'~f.~~e_\r\n                                                                                    I[.an4 o~~::.f8~:~~d~ceas_~ ;!~i~\u00b5~~ )<::\r\n  \u25a1 Someone else                                             :_ you .m4st,~fil~.,9NE F9~-~P.l'.EACH:1 N~~ . \/\". . ,\r\n                                                             (PERSON.' .~<t:.\"..' ;. \u2022- '.-.~\u00b7-~\u00b7:;,:~. '\/ \u00b7:\u00b7\\' \u00b7 :\u00b7._-,~:~,}\u00b7. \u00b7 :: . \u2022 :,\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                           - 1-\r\n\r\n         Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 14 of 18\r\n\f                                                                                      II. PLAINTIFF INFORMATION\r\nIf you checked \"To me\" in Box 1, YOU are the Plaintiff. Complete this section with information about YOU.\r\n\r\nIf you checked \"Someone else\" in Box 1, THAT PERSON is the Plaintiff.                                                                                                                                                   Complete this section with\r\ninformation about THAT PERSON.\r\n\r\n    2. First name:                                                            3. Middle name:                                                       4. Last name:                                                               S. Suffix:\r\n\r\n    6. Sex:                                                                                                                                         7. Is the Plaintiff deceased?\r\n    \u25a1 Male                                                                                                                                          \u25a1 Yes\r\n    \u25a1 Female                                                                                                                                        \u25a1 No\r\n    \u25a1 Other\r\n                                                                                                                                                    Ifyou checked \"To me\" in Box 1, check \"No\" here.\r\n\r\n\r\n    8. Residence city:                                                                                                                              9. Residence state:\r\n\r\n1    ,..   \u2022 ,   \\ : ..   ,.,.,   \u2022 f.J   . ..\r\n                                                \u00b7 '.ou 'che~k~&-,\",iN6!'~\r\n    .Skip~,:;~i\"(f)~,:\u00b7c b{,\u2022aD(i::1;,~;2\\.ifrliy\r\n                          J.                     \u2022   -: t l ,i1 ' J .,.\r\n                                                                        in~Brii)1H'\u00b7>:\u00b7\r\n                                                                          ,       ,   \u00b7\u2022   .,i,1.~.. - -.   1~   \"   ,. ..   -t'I'-\r\n                                                                                                                                ~     .   ll ,...       ..\r\n                                                                                                                                                             '. .'A;:~{~fi.~~ : .:~ .\u00b7:, :~ :,,~tfflt( ;y , \u2022\u2022 :\u00b7 ~\u00b7_:\u00b7~:f.1\\; r:~-~ \u00b7; - \u00b7 \u00b7.;;...i;\r\n                                                                                                                                                                 1   ... ,.   Jl:,~- f . '   ....   \u2022   ..I   ::t   I   i:   ;if,Y\"-\u2022lff .\u2022   ,.   \u2022   tc   ~i-itFt. .:f(\"'\r\n\r\n    10. Date of Plaintifrs                                                    11. Plaintiff's residence                                             12. Was the Plaintifrs death caused by an injury\r\n    death:                                                                    state at the time of their                                            that resulted from their exposure to contaminated\r\n                                                                              death:                                                                water at Camp Lejeune?\r\n                                                                                                                                                    \u25a1 Yes\r\n                                                                                                                                                    \u25a1 No\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                                                      III. EXPOSURE INFORMATION\r\n\r\nIf you checked \"To me\" in Box 1, complete this section with information about YOU.\r\n\r\nIf you checked \"Someone else\" in Box 1, complete this section with information about 111AT PERSON.\r\n\r\n    13. Plaintiff's first month of exposure to the water                                                                                            14. Plaintiff's last month of exposure to the water at\r\n    at Camp Lejeune:                                                                                                                                Camp Lejeune:\r\n\r\n    15. Estimated total months of e~posure:                                                                                                     16. Plaintiff's status at the time(s) of exposure\r\n                                                                                                                                                (please check all that apply):\r\n                                                                                                                                                \u25a1 Member of the Anned Services\r\n                                                                                                                                                D Civilian (includes in utero exposure)\r\n    17. If you checked Civilian in Box 16, check all that                                                                                       18. Did Plaintiff at any time live or work in any of\r\n    describe the Plaintiff at the time(s) of exposure:                                                                                          the following areas? Check!!! that apply.\r\n    \u25a1 Civilian Military Dependent                                                                                                               \u25a1 Berkeley Manor\r\n    \u25a1 Civilian Employee of Private Company                                                                                                      \u25a1 Hadnot Point\r\n    \u25a1 Civil Service Employee                                                                                                                    \u25a1 Hospital Point\r\n    \u25a1 In Utero\/Not Yet Born                                                                                                                     \u25a1 Knox Trailer Park\r\n    \u25a1 Other                                                                                                                                     \u25a1 Mainside Barracks\r\n                                                                                                                                                \u25a1 Midway Park\r\n                                                                                                                                                \u25a1 Paradise Point\r\n                                                                                                                                                \u25a1 Tarawa Terrace\r\n                                                                                                                                                \u25a1 None of the above\r\n                                                                                                                                                \u25a1 Unknown\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                                                                                                -2-\r\n\r\n             Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 15 of 18\r\n\f                                       . IV. INJURY INFORMATION\r\n\r\nIf you checked \"To me\" in Box 1, complete this section with information about YOU.\r\n\r\nIf you checked \"Someone else\" in Box 1, complete this section with information about THAT PERSON.\r\n\r\n19. Identify the illnesses or conditions the Plaintiff suffered as a result of exposure to contaminated water at\r\nCamp Lejeune.\r\n\r\n~ iVi. :;;;;,;~--~.>t-~-~:~f.t~i!.Vi~;:,y.~\u00b7\/;'.~:~'.~f#fil:\"\u00b7~;:-~\u00b7\u00b7!tJ;ll~J\u00b7~f:\u00b7:.i --~t ~iir;o.xlmi1tefd'liil10t?on~et~i\r\n                                                                                      1\r\n\r\n\r\n D Adverse birth outcomes (Plaintiff is the PARENT of an individual who died in\r\n utero or was stillborn or born prematurely)\r\n D ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)\r\n D Aplastic anemia or myelodysplastic syndrome\r\n D Bile duct cancer\r\n D Bladder cancer\r\n D Brain \/ central nervous system cancer\r\n D Breast cancer\r\n D Cardiac birth defects (Plaintiff was BORN WITH the defects)\r\n D Cervical cancer\r\n D Colorectal cancer\r\n \u25a1 Esophageal cancer\r\n D Gallbladder cancer\r\n D Hepatic steatosis (Fatty Liver Disease)\r\n D Hypersensitivity skin disorder\r\n D Infertility\r\n D Intestinal cancer\r\n D Kidney cancer\r\n D Non-cancer kidney disease\r\n D Leukemia\r\n D Liver cancer\r\n D Lung cancer\r\n D Mutliple myeloma\r\n D Neurobehavioral effects\r\n D Non-cardiac birth defects (Plaintiff was BORN WITH the defects)\r\n D Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma\r\n D Ovarian cancer\r\n D Pancreatic cancer\r\n D Parkinson's disease\r\n D Prostate cancer\r\n D Sinus cancer\r\n D Soft tissue cancer\r\n D Systemic sclerosis \/ scleroderma\r\n D Thyroid cancer\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                          -3-\r\n\r\n      Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 16 of 18\r\n\f The Camp Lejeune Justice Act does not specify a list of covered conditions.\r\n\r\n If the Plaintiff suffers or previously suffered from a condition not listed above, and the Plaintiff alleges that the\r\n condition was caused by exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune as required under the Act, please check \"Other\"\r\n and describe the condition on the following lines.\r\n\r\n Note in particular that the Board of Veterans' Appeals of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the ''VA\")\r\n has approved benefits in connection with Camp Lejeune for conditions beyond those listed above.\r\n D Other:                                                                                 Approximate date of onset\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                             V. REPRESENTATIVE INFORMATION\r\n\r\nIf you checked \"To me\" in Box 1, SKIP THIS SECTION and proceed to section VI. (\"Exhaustion\").\r\n\r\nIf you checked \"Someone else\" in Box 1, complete this section with information about YOU.\r\n\r\n 20. Representative First                21. Representative     22. Representative Last    23. Representative\r\n Name:                                   Middle Name:           Name:                      Suffix:\r\n\r\n\r\n 24. Residence City:                                            25. Residence State:\r\n\r\n                                                                \u25a1 Outside of the U.S.\r\n\r\n\r\n 26. Representative Sex:\r\n \u25a1 Male\r\n \u25a1 Female\r\n \u25a1 Other\r\n\r\n 27. What is your familial relationship to the Plain tier?\r\n \u25a1 They are\/were my spouse.\r\n \u25a1 They are\/were my parent.\r\n \u25a1 They are\/were my child.\r\n D They are\/were my sibling.\r\n \u25a1 Other familial relationship: They are\/were my _ _ _ __\r\n \u25a1 No familial relationship.\r\n\r\n-Dinyatl _,ei~Jitint :,!i:'~..l:,~\u00b7'-'1:~:\u00b7:.<i\u00b7 ~~-\r\n 28. Did the Plaintifrs death or injury cause the Plalntifrs spouse, children, or parents mental anguish, loss\r\n of financial support, loss of consortium, or any other economic or non-economic harm for which you\r\n intend to seek recovery?\r\n \u25a1 Yes\r\n \u25a1 No\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                              -4-\r\n\r\n       Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 17 of 18\r\n\f                                           VI. EXHAUSTION\r\n\r\n 29. On what date was the administrative claim for        30. What is the DON Claim Number for the\r\n this Plaintiff filed with the Department of the Navy     administrative claim?\r\n (DON)?\r\n\r\n mm\/ddlyyyy\r\n                                                          \u25a1 DON has not yet assigned a Claim Number\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                      VII. CLAIM FOR RELIEF\r\n\r\n       Plaintiff respectfully requests that pursuant to subsection 804(b) of the CLJA the Court\r\n\r\nenter judgment against the Defendant and award damages and all other appropriate relief for the\r\n\r\nharm to Plaintiff that was caused by exposure to the water at Camp Lejeune.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                    VIII. JURY TRIAL DEMAND\r\n\r\n       Plaintiff demands a trial by jury of all issues so triable pursuant to Rule 38 of the Federal\r\n\r\nRules of Civil Procedure and subsection 804(d) of the CLJA.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDated: mm\/ddlyyyy\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                          [Signature block]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n                                                        -5-\r\n\r\n     Case 7:23-cv-00897-RJ Document 23 Filed 09\/26\/23 Page 18 of 18<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA SOUTHERN DIVISION No. 7:23-CV-897 INRE: ) ) PDF File: gov.uscourts.nced.201345.23.0_1 CAMP LEJEUNE WATER LITIGATION ) ) Pursuant to this Court’s inherent powers and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 1, 16(c)(2)(L), and 42(a)(3), the Court appointed Plaintiffs’ Lead Counsel and Co-Lead Counsel (collectively,… View Article<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[501],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18614"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18614"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18620,"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18614\/revisions\/18620"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawsuitlegit.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}