Calif. Court Departs from Precedent, Denies Plaintiffs' Motions to Remand

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A California federal court has denied two motions to remand filed by men who say their wives died as a result of ingesting Cox-2 inhibitors, stating that developments in federal MDL proceedings warrant changing the court's previous position on jurisdiction. English v. Merck & Co. Inc., et al., No. 06-2833; Vantine v. Merck & Co. Inc., et al., No. 06-2851 (E.D. Calif.).

In a pair of Feb. 9 orders, Senior Judge Lawrence K. Karlton of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California said he was aware that he was departing from an Aug. 15, …