Merck Moves to Quash Subpoena of Company Executive for Barnett Trial

NEW ORLEANS - Merck & Co. Inc. has moved to quash a plaintiff's subpoena compelling Merck corporate officer and Pennsylvania resident David Anstice to testify live at the second federal Vioxx MDL trial in New Orleans, saying the subpoena exceeds the MDL court's jurisdictional limitations. In re: Vioxx Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 1657 (E.D. La.).

Merck filed the motion July 12 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana two weeks after District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, who oversees the federal Vioxx MDL, ordered that the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee could elicit Anstice's trial testimony.

Judge Fallon …