In re Convenient Food Mart Franchise Litigation

OPINION AND ORDER

The four actions now before the Panel relate to the franchise operation of Convenient Food Mart, Inc. Three of the actions are brought by franchisees of Convenient or of its regional franchisors and the fourth is brought by one of Convenient’s regional franchisors.1 The Panel ordered the parties to these actions to show cause why the actions should not be transferred to a single district for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407. On the basis of the parties’ written responses and the hearing on this matter, we conclude that the just and…