A party or the Panel on its own initiative may seek centralization. The motion identifies the related actions, the common questions of fact, and a proposed transferee district, with responses and a hearing following.
The Panel decides at one of its periodic sessions.
Alternative Names:
Centralization Motion, Motion to Transfer (JPML)
Why it Matters?
Whether to seek centralization at all is a real strategic question for defendants, since consolidation creates an organized plaintiff leadership and a coordinated proceeding that may not exist otherwise. Scattered filings across districts impose duplication costs but also prevent the aggregation that drives global settlement pressure. Where the defendant does seek centralization, the transferee district proposal is the most consequential part of the motion.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Should a defendant seek centralization?
What is the most consequential part of the motion?
