February 17, 2005
Federal product liability lawsuits involving the recalled arthritis drug Vioxx will be transferred to a Louisiana judge who is also a graduate of Tulane University Law School. Judge Eldon E. Fallon of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans was selected to handle the pretrial phase of the cases. Judge Fallon graduated from Tulane Law School in 1963 and has served as an adjunct instructor in the past at Tulane.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Tulane University Law Professor Vernon Palmer described Judge Fallon as a "a jurist experienced in complex multidistrict product liability litigation." with "a reputation for being fair-minded and balanced. He's a Clinton appointee with Yale and Tulane law degrees, with an even demeanor and, I think, an open mind."