In Re Multidistrict Litigation Involving Butterfield Patent Infringement

EDWARD WEINFELD, Judge of the Panel

(dissenting and concurring in the

dissent of Judge WEIGEL):

The multiplicity of suits brought against various defendants to recover relatively small damages based upon a patent which has already expired and the delay of eight years suggest harassment and a hope that the heavy expense of defending the actions will lead the defendants to settle rather than to fight. There is much substance to the defendants’ contentions of excessive inconvenience and burdensome financial expense, and also that infingement is peculiar in the instance of each defendant. While it is true that some issues, such as the scope of the patent and its validity, are common in all cases, this is not so as to other issues. In my view, it would not, under the circumstances here presented, promote the just and efficient conduct of these particular actions to transfer them to one district for consolidation and coordinated pretrial proceedings.

*519SCHEDULE A

Southern District of California

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. San Diego Contact Lens Laboratory, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69-126-S

Eastern District of New York

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Ocular Products, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 1147

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Danker & Wohlk, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 1255

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Mastercraft Contact Lens Labs, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 1256

Southern District of New York

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Para Lens, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 4003

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Precision Contact Lens Laboratories, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 4019

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Optimum Contact Lenses, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 4020

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. 5 Continents Contact Lens, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 4474

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Vent Air Contact Lens Laboratories

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 4471

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. United Contact Lens Corp.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 4472

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Full Sight Contact Lens Corp.

Civil Action No. 69 Civ 4473

Northern District of Texas

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Dal-Tex Optical Co.

Civil Action No. CA-3-3331-B

Western District of Texas

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Contour Comfort Contact Lens, Inc.

Civil Action No. W-69-CA-48

Southern District of Ohio

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Carskadden Optical Co., Inc.

Civil Action No. 69-270

Middle District of Pennsylvania

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Morrison Laboratories, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69-339

Western District of Pennsylvania

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Erie Contact Lens Laboratory, Inc.

Civil Action No. CA 98-69-Erie

*520District of Massachusetts

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Young Contact Lens Laboratories, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69-969-M

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Custom Contact Lens Lab Inc.

Civil Action No. 69-1118-M

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Quality Optics, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69-1119-M

Northern District of Georgia

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Quality Optics, Inc.

Civil Action No. 13099

Northern District of Illinois

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Oculus Contact Lens Co., Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 C 1812

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Contact Lens Service, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 C 2184

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Custom Contact Lens Laboratories, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 C 2186

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Fused Kontacts of Chicago, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69 C 2185

Eastern District of Michigan

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Custom Laboratories, Inc.

Civil Action No. 33380

Western District of Kentucky

George H. Butterfield. Sr. v. SCL Laboratories, Inc.

Civil Action No. 6376

Eastern District of Louisiana

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Custom Contact Lens Laboratories, Inc.

Civil Action No. 69-2346

District of Nebraska

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Precision Optics, Inc.

Civil Action No. 03403

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Rite-Style Optical Co., Inc.

Civil Action No. 03404

Western District of Oklahoma

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Professional Research Contact Lens, Inc.

Civil Action No. Civ-69-449

Western District of Washington

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Peninsula Optical

Civil Action No. 8607

Northern District of California

George H. Butterfield, Sr. v. Pace Optical Co., Inc.

Civil Action No. C69-18 GSL