Federal Vioxx Cases will move to Houston

Over 1,800 Vioxx cases being coordinated in the United States District Court in New Orleans are being moved to the U.S. District Court in Houston due to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.

The Judge overseeing the cases and several members of his staff have already been relocated into temporary office space in the Houston Federal Court Building. The first of the Federal cases is scheduled to go to trial starting November 28th.

Congress will now have to consider special legislation to allow the Eastern District of Louisiana to hold it's trials in another jurisdiction and location.