In re Best Buy Co.
804 F. Supp. 2d 1376
J.P.M.L.2011Background
- Five MDL dockets address California Song-Beverly Credit Card Act actions following the Pineda v. Williams-Sonoma decision redefining personal identification information (ZIP code) under the Act.
- MDL 2256 comprises five actions across Central and Northern Districts; plaintiffs Bennett (N.D. Cal.) and Zelis (C.D. Cal.) support centralization; defendants oppose.
- MDL 2259 comprises two actions across N.D. Cal. and E.D. Cal.; Pabst (N.D. Cal.) supports; Genesco, Inc. does not oppose.
- MDL 2260 comprises four actions across N.D. Cal. and S.D. Cal.; Crate & Barrel moves for centralization; Salmonson (C.D. Cal.) requests tag-along in C.D. Cal.
- MDL 2267 comprises eight actions across N.D. Cal., S.D. Cal.; plaintiffs in the S.D. Cal. actions support; defendants oppose.
- MDL 2268 comprises three actions across C.D. Cal. and N.D. Cal.; one N.D. Cal. plaintiff supports; no other responses.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether § 1407 centralization is warranted | Proponents say centralization unifies common issues. | Efforts should rely on § 1404 transfer rather than centralization. | Denied; 1404 transfer preferred. |
| Whether § 1404(a) transfer or other options can resolve duplicative actions without centralization | Centralization would streamline related actions. | Transfer and first-to-file strategies suffice to avoid duplication. | Yes; 1404 transfers and related tools may eliminate duplicative work. |
Key Cases Cited
- In re Payless Shoesource, Inc., California Song-Beverly Credit Card Act Litigation, 609 F.Supp.2d 1372 (J.P.M.L. 2009) (centralization not always necessary; coordination can suffice)
- In re Gaiam, Inc., Water Bottle Mktg., Sales Practices & Prods. Liab. Litig., 672 F.Supp.2d 1373 (J.P.M.L. 2010) (transfer under 1404 often preferable to 1407 for limited actions)
- In re Transocean Ltd. Sec. Litig., 753 F.Supp.2d 1373 (J.P.M.L. 2010) (where limited actions exist, 1404 may resolve multidistrict issues)
- In re Republic Western Ins. Co. Ins. Coverage Litig., 206 F.Supp.2d 1364 (J.P.M.L. 2002) (denying centralization where 1404 transfer could eliminate MDL characteristics)