Merck Moves to Shrink Size of California Vioxx Proceedings by One Half

LOS ANGELES - Merck has moved to either dismiss or stay nearly half of the Vioxx claims pending in California state court, arguing that they are filed on behalf of plaintiffs who have no connection to the state. In Re Vioxx Cases, JCCP No. 4247 (Calif. Super. Ct., Los Angeles Cty.).

In a Nov. 15 forum non conveniens motion filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Merck argues that approximately 950 of the 2,200 Vioxx cases pending in the state's coordinated proceedings are filed by out-of-state plaintiffs and that they should be dismissed in order to acheive the objectives of …