40.3 Order Creating a Web Site

Order No. 				

	[Lead and Liaison Counsel for Plaintiffs and Defendants are directed to meet and confer for the purpose of establishing] [The Court will create and maintain] a Web site devoted solely to the [insert MDL name or caption] litigation. The site will contain sections through which the parties, counsel, and the public may access court orders, court opinions, court minutes, court calendars, frequently asked questions, court transcripts, court docket, current developments, information about plaintiffs’ and defendants’ lead and liaison counsel, and other information to be identified by the parties or the court and its staff. 
	Plaintiffs’ and defendants’ lead and liaison counsel should meet and confer to identify other information that might be included on the Web site, including
•	documents stored in a document depository, or electronic links to such documents; 
•	notices and schedules of depositions and other discovery requests;
•	announcements relating to proceedings and events in this litigation;
•	listings of related cases in the state courts and information about how to contact judges and attorneys involved in such cases;
•	documents, orders, or opinions in related cases that are of significant importance in this litigation; and
•	any other materials the parties find to be important to facilitating the fair and efficient conduct of this litigation.
	Counsel need to ensure that the Web site is compatible with the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system in place [or to be developed] in this court. The Web site should contain appropriate linkages to information available through the CM/ECF system.
	Counsel may recommend, by motion, that a portion of the Web site be accessible only to counsel for plaintiffs, counsel for defendants, or both. Any limitations, however, should be restricted to (1) matters that represent the work product of attorneys for plaintiffs or defendants and are not otherwise available to other persons, and (2) matters that are confidential under a protective order issued by this court. The Web site should be established so that it is compatible with most communications software, with a view toward making it publicly available.
	Counsel are expected to use computers to prepare documents sent to the clerk or to the judge’s chambers and to provide electronic versions of all documents. 

Dated: 												
									United States District Judge