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Home My WebLink About07-4764~, DECHERT LLP By: David M. Haendler, Esquire Identification No. 202755 Cira Centre 2929 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-2808 (215) 994-2243 ROBERT N. DITROLIO and MARGARET DITROLIO, Plaintiffs, v. MERCK & CO., INC. Defendant. Attorney for Defendant/Petitioner Merck & Co., Inc. CUMBERLAND COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS TRIAL DIVISION Term, 2007 No: Q 7- 'i 7~D~1 ctvlr `fUr~ PETITION FOR LETTERS ROGATORY Pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 234.1 and 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Annotated § 5329, the issuance of a subpoena is requested on the following grounds: 1. Petitioner is Merck & Co., Inc., above-named defendant in an action pending in the Superior Court of New Jersey, filed by plaintiff George Biehls. A copy of the complaint in this lawsuit is attached hereto as Exhibit A. 2. Petitioner seeks a subpoena to produce documents and things and give testimony relating to the person/entity named below: 1 ., Pennsylvania Bar Institute 5080 Ritter Road Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6903 3. The subpoena shall direct the person/entity to appear and to produce the documents requested on the attached Exhibit B, at the office of: David M. Haendler, Esquire Dechert LLP Cira Centre 2929 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 4. A commission for the issuance has been entered in the Superior Court of New Jersey. A copy of the order appointing this commission is attached hereto as Exhibit C. 5. Petitioner requires the issuance of a subpoena by this Court to compel the testimony and production of documents. A copy of the proposed subpoena is attached hereto as Exhibit D. WHEREFORE, Petitioner requests that this Court order the issuance of a subpoena directed to the person/entity named in paragraph (2) of this Petition. Respectfully Submitted, ~~~~ David M. Haendler, Esquire Dechert LLP Cira Centre 2929 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 994-2243 Attorneys for Merck & Co., Inc. Dated: August 10, 2007 2 EXHIBIT A Alr'APOL, SCSWARTZ, WExSS, COHAN, 'P'ELDMAN ~ 9MALLEY, P.C. BY: DAVID JACOHY. ESQUIRE vl~olzY s. sp><z1,R, ssQv>;we 402 Puk Boutcvard Cherry Hill, NJ 08082 {85ti7 42?-9219; Fax (ESA 488-]396 Asorncys for Plaitrt»!!1: d • '~ (1~?5 . ..;. 4e.iS.< i l ~ , ...,sir?w~»rti IN T~ 6UPi1ntIOlR COURT OF NEW JERSEY LwW DMSION, ATLANTIC COUNTY ROBER? N. DI1'RO]GIO MT: ~ ` 3a~~~~ 3 & MARGARET DITROLIO, hhr Casa Coda Nunatter: 619 Plai-rs;~(s1 va. ASBRB~T'ED BIiiOR? FORM l1+IERCiC do CO., INC., COMPLAINT FOR VrOXX L1?IGwTiON Dafsrdan! . J[1RY T»AL DlBMANbED t . Plaintiff for his/her clalm api»si tits: Defendant Sf1~Lcs and alleges as Collo-.s and incorporates i,y reference the rotevam portions of t3te Master CorYrohint on (iir entitled: t?t.R~"' Vioxx Li:i~atiun Case Cody Numb 6i9~ aotiv pending in tht Superior f:ourl of Ncty )ers~y, Law Divialat, .4dsntic County before the Honorable Cato1 E. ~tigbce. ].5•C. i'laintiffselec~s and indicatls by checking aFf the appropriate braces. those claims that are specific to his ur her case. Why claims requirr, purss:ant to New Jrrsey law, SpcxiFc pleoding or case specific facts encl individuai inPon~tation, plainli(fshali sdd and incluJs: them herein. 2. 1'ittintifi: RO$EItT N. D1Tit0it0 (horeioatter refsn'rcd to as 4 Christsapher Drive "Plaintiff'), is art individual who residsx u Glen Mills ~_~ ~ the State of t'enesylvania DiTrolioR-Complaint- 00001 2A. Cht or shout Deoanber 17~ 2041 (date). Qlaintiff suffered for following injttry(ies) as t rasuit ofinL'~Nt Yicax: Iicart attack 2B. Ylairtiff brigs this act{ott: _ '~ on behalf of liunself or henelf_ _ as the represe:ttative o[ ___,,,__ es the porettt and natural gcardi~t od litern at ~. a minor born on _,._,..,_, _____ as Ade:tlrtlstrstor oC the Fstare of Plsltui~'s (hereinafDer "Ueecdent", see Letters cf Adrninistruion aanaccd hereto as Exhibit A). who died an 2G i'laintit7einims darna~es as * result oC _ ~ Pcc9ottal I>4jury to himself, herself or tht: person roprtsentad ~„__ Wrongful Deatl- Survival Action _ ~,_._._ Loss of Consortium (pct quod) '~ Loss of Services . ~,__ Economic Loss 3. I'lait+tifflDr.~xdettt purcAascd andlur oilterwiee obtained Vioxx, whicit December L ~~ 2001 T)eczn+ber 17, 2001 PlaintifflDetedct-t in~ted from ~ - -- 4. Plaintiff's spouse. Margarat DiTmlio ~ (hcreinxtlt~' referred to as "Spousa") is on ada,lt individual residing at 2 DiTrolioR-Cotnplaiiat- 00002 4 Christopher lki~-a +Glra Mills In the Std of Pcnosylysttia _ , ~d elaimt dema8ts as a resntt o~ ~ 8/21/99 ____.__ Loss of Cortsortiuna: date of oaarriagc ____,__ wron~l Death: date of death s, The fallowing elsara~ assertad in the Masts Complaint and the allt~ations ~+~ regard thereto itt the Master Complaint are herein adopted by refereae+e: '~ Cowit I: Produet Liability -Defective Desi;n (New Jerrty Ptodllets Liabiliry Act • NJ.SA.1A:58C-1 et seq.) `/ Count II: Pcoduot Liability - Failure to Warn CND .leruy Products .__.... Liability Act - Na.S.A. 2A:58C-1 at seq-) '~ Coum III: NJ ConsumrrFryuJ Act (NJ.S-A. Sb:B-1 et. scq•) '~ Count rv: Braaoh of FacPrssa Warranty '~ Count V: Punitive Damages i1~du (:curirnon l.,~w ~ Products Liability _~ Conr-t VI: Wronglltl Death Count VIf~ Survival Action 'r Count VIR: Loos of Cottsortlum . 1'laitttiff atastts tha fallowing additional ~cories of recovery agz-irsst Merck ~ Co.. inc.: s DiTrolioA-Complairit- 00003 !f you iaciude additional ctairns against entity(ies) other tltsa Merctc ~ Co.. lnc., the t'acb supporting this count mtut be speoifu.ally plod by tha plaitttif~' and the defendants a~ninat who they are allegai must be identified on a sepante siteet of paper auvttud to the Complaint. ~' if you have included any additional theories of recovery, to the extent they require specificity in pleadla~+, the specific fads and atlegatioAS supporting these thtocies must be Qleaded by the plaintiff' in a manner coaplying with the requiram~ent: of tha New ]~ Rotes of Court. Demand is hereby mods far a trial bYNrY• Dated: aY /1~,. .~er~` DAVID JACOB , F.SQL1IItE GRECARY S. SpIZER. ESQUIRE CERTitP1CJ1Tlt]NPURSlJAT1TT0 R'IJJ.E 4:5.1 Plsintiif upon infnrmatiatt and baUef is not aware of any pendin6 ar contartplated action. Further, upon infotmatien and beticf, she/he iS pot avvarc oPany other parry who shooks bt; joined in this action. QA T }AC4t3Y, SQUIRE GREGORY S. SPtZER, CSQUTRE Dated; ~y~~ark~l 01013 DiTrolioR-Complaint- 00004 nt~.~etGN~,1'ION OF Ptuswnt to R 4:25-4, Sol H. Waiss, Es4~. Dzrid Jacoby. Esquire. and Ciregary S. Spizer, Fsquin: arc hereby designaoed u vial caunset in this roatitr. . -- DAV 3ACOBY. ESQUIRE GRE(30RY 5. SPiZER,, ESQUIRE Dated: ~'~ %d ~ o0 3 Pursuvit to NJ.S.A., S6:lS-2Q pt~iatitF b mailing a copy of this CompLint and Jury Aemancl to the Office of Attorney Cxt-eral, Cn-006, Trca-ton, Naw Jersay~ within (10) days vftha filing of thts Cumplasot and Jury Demalld- _~ s ~- A JpCOBY, F.gQU3RH t3RL00RY S. SP'17,ER- ESQUIRE Dated: ~ Y ~n+1+~ ^~~, TfYTh P 1 A • DiTrolioR-Complaint- 00005 EXHIBIT B SCHEDULE"A" l: A video copy of the continuing legal education seminar "Pain & Suffering -The Evidentiary Challenges" including a presentation by Dr. Robert Sing. EXHIBIT C ~tECE111ED and ~ii.G~ LAW OFFICES ,~~l~ 10 20a? DECHERT LLP A PENNSYLVANIA LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP ,ATLANTIC COU~iTY PRINCETON PIKE CORPORATE CENTER LAw ~NiSION {MAIL TO} P.O. BOX 5218, PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08543-5218 (DELIVER TO) 997 LENOX DRIVE, BUILDING THREE, SUITE 210 LAWRENCEVILLE, NEW JERSEY 08648 (609)620-3200 Fie ' ~'.~ 15910295 ~ERM~~'~ Aug 10 2007 3:21 PM ATTORNEYS FOR MERCK & CO., INC. ROBERT N. DITROLIO and . MARGARET DTTROLIO, Plaintiffs, vs. MERCK & CO., INC., . Defendant SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY LAW DIVISION: ATLANTIC COUNTY DOCKET NO. ATL-L-3253-03-MT CASE CODE: 619 CNIL ACTION VIOXX~ LITIGATION ORDER FOR COMMISSION AND COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF AN OUT-O.E-STATE SUBPOENA DUCES TECUM THIS MATTER having been opened to the Court upon application by Dechert LLP, a Pennsylvania Limited Liability Partnership, attorneys for Merck & Co., Inc. pursuant to R. 4:11-5 for entry of an Order compelling Pennsylvania Bar Institute to produce records and documents regarding Robert DiTroiio and for good cause having been shown for the entry of issuance of a Commission authorizing the issuance of a subpoena in this matter; IT IS an this day of c G~ F~ , 2007, ORDERED that: 1. The application to issue a Commission for the issuance of a subpoena compelling the production of documents by Pennsylvania Bar is hereby granted; and the following Commission is hereby issued: COMMISSION Merck & Co., Inc., having demonstrated the need for certain information and documents to be produced in connection with the matter herein and requiring a subpoena from the Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for their production, the Superior Court of New Jersey, through the undersigned Judge, hereby respectfully commissions and solicits the assistance of the Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , or such subordinate office as it may designate, to issue with due diligence Subpoena 1}uces Tecum in a form acceptable to the Court Rules of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ,and in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ,compelling the following individual(s) to produce documents and things: Pennsylvania Baz Institute 5080 Ritter Road Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-b903 2. A copy of the Qrder shall be served upon all counsel of record in this action within seven (7) days from the date of entry. C~ ~1 ~ ~OI~~N, J.B. SCHEDULE "A" 1: A video copy of the continuing legal education seminar "Pain & Suffering -The Evidentiary Challenges" including a presentation by Dr. Robert Sing. EXHIBIT D COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA COUN'T'Y OF CUMBERLAND Robert & Margaret DiTrolio . File No. v. Merck & Co., Inc. SUBPOENA TO PRODUCE DOCUMENTS OR THINGS FOR DISCOVERY PURSUANT TO RULE 4009.22 Pennsylvania Bar Institute TO: (Name of Person or Entity} Within twenty (20) days after service of this subpoena, you aze ordered by the court to produce the following documents or things: S a attached "S hedile A" at (Address) You may deliver or mail legible copies of the documents or produce things requested by this subpoena, together with the certificate of compliance, to the party making this request at the address listed above. You have the right to seek in advance the reasonable cost of preparing the copies or producing the things sought. If you fail to produce the documents or things required by this subpoena within twenty (20) days after its service, the party serving this subpoena may seek a court order compelling you to comply with it. THIS SUBPOENA WAS ISSUED AT THE REQUEST OF THE FOLLOWING PERSON: NAME: David M. Haendler, Esquire ADDRESS: Dechert LLP C:i ra .entre,, 2929 Arch StrPPt PhilartP hia~ PA 19111 TELEPHONE: ~t S _9-9~_2 SUPREME COURT ID# 2 n 2 7 5 5 ATTORNEY FOR: Merck & Co., Inc. (defendant) BY THE COURT: Prothonotary, Civil Division Date: 'Seal of the Court Deputy SCI~EDULE "A" 1: A video copy of the continuing legal education seminar "Pain & Suffering -The Evidentiary Challenges" including a presentation by Dr. Robert Sing. C~ r.,, c-;' ~ ~°~' ~ _, -r~ C \ -~. ~_ ~= ~ ti f~ . V ` -'-' ' c. _r ^ ~ ~ ~ ` ~ j AU6 15 2D07 ROBERT N. DITROLIO and MARGARET DITROLIO, v. MERCK & CO., INC. Plaintiffs, Defendant. CUMBERLAND COUNTY COURT OF COMMON PLEAS TRIAL DIVISION Term, 2007 ORDER th AND NOW, this ~b day of Au u~~ 2007, upon consideration of the Petition for Issuance of Subpoena to Produce Documents or Things for Discovery Pursuant to Rule 4009.22 and upon motion of counsel for defendant/petitioner Merck & Co., Inc., it is hereby ORDERED that the Prothonotary of Cumberland County issue a subpoena directed to the person entity named below, directing their production of documents and things and attendance to testify pursuant to the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure: Pennsylvania Bar Institute 5080 Ritter Road Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6903 BY THE COURT: J. oc~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~+~'~ a ~ P d~~ ~ 6h . t- ,j~ Y~ , ~,~ ~o ~~~ ~~~~ ~ ~ ~~b c~~z ~~ ! U+ ~ i y.,n