Judge Denies Plaintiffs' Motion to Reconsider, Transfers Claims to MDL

HONOLULU - A Hawaii judge has denied a couple's motion for reconsideration of the court's decision to stay proceedings in their federal Vioxx lawsuit, stating that the court didn't err in denying remand and that the issues at stake are not as straightforward as the plaintiffs suggest. McClelland, et al. v. Merck & Co. Inc., et al., No. 06-543 (D. Hawaii).

On Feb. 13, Judge J. Michael Seabright of the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii denied the motion and, the next day, transferred the claims of Hawaii residents John and Amy McClelland to the federal Vioxx MDL …