May v. SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories, Inc.

Plaintiff, Martha Ann May, filed a putative class action lawsuit against defendant, SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories, Inc. (SBCL), based upon SBCL’s alleged improper billing for medical laboratory tests. SBCL sought to have plaintiffs case stayed pursuant to section 2—619(a)(3) of the Civil Practice Law (735 ILCS 5/2—619(a)(3) (West 1996)) because eight other putative class actions are pending against SBCL across the country. The trial court denied SBCL’s motion to stay, and SBCL filed this interlocutory appeal pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 307(a)(1) (166 Ill. 2d R. 307(a)(1)). We…