US Judicial Panel On Multidistrict Litigation Consolidates MH370 Actions

Suits of US Citizens Consolidated in Washington, D.C. to Promote Efficiency in Litigation

Defendants Malaysia Airlines Berhad and Malaysian Airline System Berhad (collectively, Malaysia Airlines) moved under 28 U.S.C. § 1407 to centralize pretrial proceedings in the pending multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Illinois. The litigation consists of eight actions pending in various U.S. district courts as well as thirty-two related actions pending in the Northern District of Illinois for a total of forty actions.

The various parties expressed their positions regarding centralization and, if in favor, their preferred court. Ultimately, the Court found that these actions involved common questions of fact, and that centralization in the District Court for the District of Columbia will serve the convenience of the parties and witnesses and promote efficiency in the litigation.