Local Rule LCR 102: COMPLEX, MULTIPLE AND MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION
W.D. Wash. — Civil rule
LCR 102
COMPLEX, MULTIPLE AND MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION
(a) Definitions
"Complex litigation," as used in these rules, includes one or more related cases which present unusual problems and which require extraordinary treatment, including but not limited to the cases ordinarily designated as "protracted" or "big."
"Multiple litigation," as used in these rules, is two or more complex civil cases with one or more common questions of fact pending in one district.
"Multidistrict litigation," as used in these rules, is two or more civil cases with one or more common questions of fact pending in more than one federal district.
The policy of the court is to identify complex, multiple and multidistrict litigation as expeditiously as possible, and to apply where appropriate the provisions of the Manual for Complex Litigation (the most current edition is maintained by the Seattle Ninth Circuit Library).
(b) Multidistrict Litigation
Whenever a party knows or learns that its pending case involves all or a material part of the same subject matter and all or substantially the same parties as another action that is pending in any other federal court, the party must file a Notice of Pendency of Other Action within five days of learning of the other action as set forth in LCR 3(h).