4:12-cv-03065 Doc # 1 Filed: 04/03/12 Page 1 of 4 - Page ID # 1
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA
MERIAL LIMITED and MERIAL S.A.S Case No. 4:12-cv-3065 Plaintiffs and CounterclaimDefendants, v. VELCERA, INC. and FIDOPHARM, INC. Defendants and Counterclaim-Plaintiffs.
*Original Case No. 3:11-cv-00157-CDL* Pending in the Middle District of Georgia
MERIAL’S MOTION TO STAY ENFORCEMENT OF SUBPOENAS DUCES TECUM TO NON-PARTIES LAMBERT VET SUPPLY, LLC AND DOUGLAS W. LAMBERT
Pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 26 and 45, Plaintiffs Merial Limited and Merial S.A.S. (collectively, “Merial”) move this Court to stay enforcement of the subpoenas served by Velcera, Inc. and FidoPharm, Inc. (collectively, “Velcera”) on nonparties Lambert Vet Supply, LLC and Douglas W. Lambert (the “Lambert Subpoenas,” see Exhibit A), pending the ruling of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia (“the Georgia Court”) on Merial’s pending Motion for Protective Order to Stay Discovery on Velcera’s Counterclaims and To Quash Subpoenas (Merial’s “Motion for Protective Order,” see Exhibit B). Merial and Velcera are parties to the above-captioned action currently pending in the Georgia Court, Case No. 3:11-cv-00157-CDL. In that action, Velcera has asserted Counterclaims against Merial, which Merial has moved to dismiss on various grounds. Relatedly, Merial has also filed in that case a Motion for Protective Order (see Exhibit B) in which Merial requests that the Georgia Court stay discovery on Velcera’s
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Counterclaims and Quash the Lambert Subpoenas, which are directed to obtaining discovery regarding Velcera's Counterclaims, pending the Georgia Court’s ruling on Merial’s Motion to Dismiss Velcera’s Counterclaims. The Lambert Subpoenas served by Velcera seek to require non-parties Lambert Vet Supply, LLC and Douglas W. Lambert to appear for depositions and produce documents on April 2, 2012.1 Lambert has filed an "Objection" to the Subpoenas (see Exhibit C). Merial respectfully requests that this Court stay the enforcement of the Lambert Subpoenas so as to allow the Georgia Court, which is familiar with the facts and circumstances of the underlying action, to determine whether Merial's Motion for Protective Order with respect to Velcera’s Counterclaims (which would include quashing the Lambert Subpoenas) is warranted. Such a stay of the enforcement of the Lambert Subpoenas by this Court will allow the parties and non-parties Douglas Lambert and Lambert Vet Supply to save the time, money, and resources associated with the prosecution of these subpoenas, at least until such time as the Georgia Court has had the opportunity to rule on Merial’s pending Motion for Protective Order. Accordingly, Merial requests that this Court stay enforcement of the Lambert Subpoenas pending a ruling on Merial’s Motion for Protective Order in the underlying case. Merial's counsel has conferred with counsel for Velcera but has been unable to resolve the differences existing between the parties regarding the issues raised by this motion.
1
On March 28, 2012, counsel for Douglas Lambert and Lambert Vet Supply informed counsel for Merial that the deposition and document production ordered for that day would be postponed. 2
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Respectfully submitted, this 3rd day of April, 2012. s/William G. Dittrick William G. Dittrick (NE Bar # 11024) BAIRD HOLM LLP 1500 Woodmen Tower 1700 Farnam St Omaha, NE 68102-2068 402.636.8205 Direct Dial Phone 402.344.0588 Fax
[email protected] Counsel for Plaintiffs Merial Limited and Merial S.A.S. Of Counsel for Plaintiffs Merial Limited and Merial S.A.S: Judy Jarecki-Black, Ph.D., Esq. (
[email protected]) Georgia Bar No. 801698 MERIAL LIMITED 3239 Satellite Blvd Duluth, GA 30096-4640 Tel.: (678) 638-3805 Fax: (678) 638-3350 J. Patrick Elsevier, Ph. D., Esq. (
[email protected]) Georgia Bar No. 246694 JONES DAY 12265 El Camino Real, Ste 200 San Diego, CA 92130-4096 Tel.: (858) 314-1200 Fax.: (858) 314-1150 Edward D. Tolley, Esq. (
[email protected]) Georgia Bar No. 714300 COOK NOELL TOLLEY & BATES LLP 304 E Washington St PO Box 1927 Athens, GA 30603-1927 Tel.: (706) 549-6111 Fax: (706) 548-0956 Frank G. Smith, III, Esq. (
[email protected]) Georgia Bar No. 657550 Jason D. Rosenberg, Esq. (
[email protected]) Georgia Bar No. 510855 Kathryn W. Bina, Esq. (
[email protected]) Georgia Bar No. 956052 Matthew W. Howell, Esq. (
[email protected]) ALSTON & BIRD LLP One Atlantic Center 1201 W Peachtree St Atlanta, GA 30309-3424 Tel.: (404) 881-7000 Fax: (404) 881-7777 3
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on April 3, 2012, I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of Court using the CM/ECF system, which will send notification of such filing to the following: None and I hereby certify that I have mailed by United States first class mail the document to the following non-CM/ECF participants: Attorneys for Defendants / Counterclaim-Plaintiffs Velcera, Inc. and FidoPharm, Inc. William L. Tucker (
[email protected]) James C. Clark (
[email protected]) Thomas F. Gristina (
[email protected]) PAGE, SCRANTOM, SPROUSE, TUCKER & FORD, P.C. Synovus Centre 1111 Bay Ave 3rd Fl Columbus, GA 31901 Tel: (706) 324-0251 Fax: (706) 596-9992 Manya S. Deehr (
[email protected]) VELCERA, INC. 777 Township Line Rd #170 Yardley, PA 19067-5508 Tel: (267) 757-3625 Bruce P. Keller (
[email protected]) David H. Bernstein (
[email protected]) DEBEVOISE & PLIMPTON LLP 919 Third Ave New York, NY 10022 Tel: (212) 909-6000 Fax: (212) 521-7696 Joseph D. Wargo (
[email protected]) Michael S. French (
[email protected]) Joseph M. Englert (
[email protected]) Elizabeth C. Murphy (
[email protected]) WARGO FRENCH, LLP 999 Peachtree St NE, 26th Fl Atlanta, GA 30309 Tel: (404) 853-1500 Fax: (404) 853-1501
Attorneys for Lambert Vet Supply, LLC and Douglas W. Lambert Daniel E. Klaus (
[email protected]) REMBOLT LUDTKE LLP 1201 Lincoln Mall #102 Lincoln, NE 68508 Tel: (402) 475-5100 s/William G. Dittrick
DOCS/1099654.1
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