Mo. Federal Judge Retains Jurisdiction Over Ethicon Pelvic Mesh Cases; Finds CAFA Applies

ST. LOUIS — A Missouri federal judge has refused to remand three pelvic mesh actions against Ethicon (NYSE: J&J), ruling that even though each case contains less than 100 plaintiffs, there is federal jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act because the plaintiffs have proposed that the cases be tried jointly.

On Dec. 30, Judge John A. Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri found that the plaintiffs’ motions for assignment to a single judge required denial of their motions to remand.

In June 2012, Isebell Brannen and 80 other individuals sued Ethicon in the …