Opinion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 CHRIS BISSELL, et al., individually and Case No.: 24-cv-02286-AJB-MMP on behalf of all others similarly situated, 12 ORDER GRANTING JOINT MOTION Plaintiffs, TO CONSOLIDATE AND DENYING 13 v. AS MOOT DEFENDANT’S MOTION 14 TO DISMISS AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., 15 INC., and HONDA MOTOR (Doc. Nos. 24, 32) COMPANY LIMITED, 16 Defendants. 17 18 19 Plaintiffs Chris Bissell, Cindy Massey, James Orton, Chris Vucovich and Lisa 20 Kiedrowski and Defendant American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (“Honda”) jointly move to 21 consolidate this action with Alcantara, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., No. 22 3:25-cv-02376-AJB-MMP (S.D. Cal. July 1, 2025), with this action serving as the lead 23 case. (Doc. No. 32.) The parties also jointly propose a schedule governing deadlines for 24 Plaintiffs to file an amended consolidated complaint and briefing on Honda’s anticipated 25 motion to dismiss. (Id.) 26 For the reasons stated in this Court’s Order to Show Cause Re: Consolidation (Doc. 27 No. 31), and having considered the joint motion, the joint motion to consolidate is 28 GRANTED pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42(a). The benefit to judicial 1 convenience of consolidating this action with the Alcantara action outweighs the potential 2 for any inconvenience, delay, or expense that consolidation could cause, because 3 consolidation would avoid duplicative discovery and proceedings in these cases that are 4 based on nearly identical allegations, share common issues of law and fact, are in similar 5 stages of development, and are pending in the same venue. See Huene v. U.S.,743 F.2d 6 703, 704 (9th Cir. 1984), on reh’g, 753 F.2d 1081 (9th Cir. 1984) (district court “weighs 7 the saving of time and effort consolidation would produce against any inconvenience, 8 delay, or expense that it would cause”). 9 Also, having reviewed the facts and circumstances set forth in the parties’ joint 10 motion, and for good cause shown, the Court GRANTS the request to set a briefing 11 schedule and hereby ORDERS as follows: 12 1. In light of the Joint Motion, the Order to Show Cause regarding consolidation 13 is hereby discharged. (See Doc. No. 31.) 14 2. Plaintiffs must file an amended consolidated complaint no later than 15 February 24, 2026. 16 3. Honda must answer or otherwise respond to the amended consolidated 17 complaint no later than April 10, 2026.1 If Honda files a motion to dismiss, Honda will be 18 permitted five (5) additional pages in its brief, for a maximum length of thirty (30) pages. 19 4. Plaintiffs’ opposition, if a motion to dismiss is filed, must be filed no later 20 than May 11, 2026. Plaintiffs will be permitted five (5) additional pages in their brief, for 21 a maximum length of thirty (30) pages. 22 5. Honda’s reply, if any, must be filed no later than May 26, 2026. 23 6. If a motion is filed, the Court will review the parties’ briefs and set a hearing 24 if necessary. 25 26 27 1 The Court reminds the parties to fully review and comply with the undersigned’s Civil Case Procedures 28 1 7. In light of the Joint Motion, and the forthcoming amended consolidated 2 ||complaint, Honda’s pending Motion to Dismiss (Doc. No. 24) is DENIED AS MOOT. 3 IT IS SO ORDERED. 4 Dated: February 10, 2026 6 United States District Judge 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28