in Re Silica Products Liability Litigation ( 2005 )

ORDER OF MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION PANEL Order Issued November 29, 2005 04-0606 IN RE SILICA PRODUCTS LIABILITY LITIGATION Order Concerning Pre-September 1, 2003 Silica Cases On November 10, 2004 this panel granted a motion to transfer certain silica cases to a pretrial judge pursuant to Rule of Judicial Administration 13. On the same date, the panel named Judge Tracy Christopher, Judge of the 295th District court of Harris County, as pretrial judge and transferred the cases to her. At that time the panel's authority was limited to civil actions filed on or after September 1, 2003. During the last legislative session, however, the Legislature amended the Civil Practice and Remedies Code by adding Chapter 90, entitled "Claims Involving Asbestos and Silica." Section 90.010 applies the MDL rules retroactively to pending cases involving claims for silica-related injuries filed before September 1, 2003, with certain exceptions. The panel hereby designates Judge Christopher as the pretrial judge in any cases that were filed before September 1, 2003 and that are transferred to MDL pursuant to section 90.010 or any rules promulgated by the Supreme Court to effectuate Chapter 90.