Judge: Vioxx Cases Can Stay in California for Now

LOS ANGELES - A California state court judge has ruled that nearly 1,000 Vioxx cases filed by residents who don't live in California may nevertheless remain in the state's coordinated Vioxx proceedings. In Re: Vioxx Cases, JCCP No. 4247 (Calif. Super. Ct., Los Angeles Cty.).

In a ruling released Feb. 1, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Victoria Gerrard Chaney said defendant Merck & Co. Inc. failed to shoulder its burden of showing why California is an inconvenient forum for the out-of-state claims. Judge Chaney, however, left the door open for future consideration of the forum issue, should the influx of …